Stay with Me
by Bella.Diggory
Summary: Sam imprints on Bella when he finds her in the woods after Edward left her. Jacob finds out, and when he does he does something even he himself thought he wasn't capable of doing...
1. Prologue: The Beginning

**Stay with Me**

Summary: When Edward leaves Bella in New Moon Sam finds her in the woods, only something very different happens. As he lifts her into his arms to take her to safety, there eyes meet for just a split second. And in that split second something happens that he feared never would… he imprints. He doesn't say anything to her, he knows the pain of what she has just lost, the pain of what has just happened to her is far to great to bring such a thing up. And so he goes on for days, weeks, months… suffering the pain of being away from her. Until one day he decides he can not stay away from her any longer…

Prologue: The Beginning

**Bella's POV**

_Sam… Sam… Sam Uley. _

Get out of my head. Please, just… _disappear._

He had been the only thing I had thought about, the only person I had thought about, since he found me in the woods that night, since the night Edward had left me.

My mind raced and raced in circles. These unfaithful and unfamiliar thoughts… they wouldn't leave. No matter how hard I willed them away, it was like the harder I tried to push them away the more fiercely they would grow. And when they would go away, if only for an hour, if only for _ten minutes_, they would always come back stronger. The pull to be with him was greater and greater, it was unstoppable and uncontrollable. But I couldn't let myself give into these thoughts… these _desires. _

I didn't even know Sam. He was a Quileute. He was two years older than me and I didn't even know his parents names. I didn't even know if he had parents.

But what I did know… what I did know is that I couldn't stop thinking about him. He was all I saw when I closed my eyes, all I saw when I opened them and all I saw when I looked at myself in the mirror. I would see him as I drove to school and as I sat in class, I would see him in my dresser drawers and my closet.

And the worst part about it all… Edward no longer hurt me. He would no longer speak to me in times of danger or stupidity, he would no longer appeared in dreams. The chain he had attached to me for so long had been severed, broken. The pain that made him _real_, the pain that made him remembered… it was gone.

And so was he.

TBC

* * *

**AN: I know it was short, but it was the prologue. Chapter one and the following chapters will be much longer. So… what did you think?**


	2. Sam's Prolouge: Fighting

**Stay with Me**

Sam's Prolouge: Fighting

**Sam's POV**

I could hear her wailing from where I stood. She was crying again, screaming. I could almost see it in my mind: Bella wrapped loosely in her blankets with her hair feathered out across her pillow with wet eyes and cheeks as she held herself. I knew she was only dreaming… but every night it seemed to only get worse. I didn't know what she was dreaming about, and I didn't care, all I wanted was to be with her and hold her and tell her everything was going to be alright and that I was there for her. The thought… the _sound_ of her being in pain… it killed me. I couldn't stand it. She didn't deserve to be in pain, the only thing she deserved was to be happy, loved.

It was December now, almost Christmas, and I hadn't seen her since mid September… no one had. The only people who could see her were the ones who went to her school and her dad. Other than that, she was a phantom. Even Jake hadn't seen her. And in a way, I was glad of that. I knew they were best friends, and I respected that, really. But the thought of him seeing her before I did… the thought of him wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close… it just, it gave me feelings I never had before, feelings I couldn't describe.

I wanted to see her. I _needed _to see her. I needed to see her before anybody else did, I needed to make sure she was okay, she was safe, she was happy. And if she wasn't already… then I wanted to be the one to make her those things.

Hiding my thoughts about Bella while in wolf form was hard, but doable. The guys still didn't know I had imprinted, and I wanted to keep it that way as long as possible. Selfish, unreasonable, pointless, stupid… I knew what they would say when they would find out about it. But I didn't care. Ever since I had first phased nothing of mine was really mine anymore. My privacy was out the door and more than less obsolete. I just… I wanted something that was mine, only mine. I didn't want to share it and I didn't want to flaunt it. Sure I was happy about it, more than anything else in my entire life, but the only person I wanted to share that with was her. Bella… my Bella. My one and only.

So was it really that selfish to keep at least _one _thing to myself?

Jacob, being the alpha wolf, demanded us all to keep nothing from each other. And we all listened… or, we all _had_ listened. That is until I imprinted. But that is the only thing I had kept to myself and would be the only thing I kept to myself. It hadn't been easy to do, but I had to. I mean, how bad would it be if the guys found out and went rushing off to Bella and told her I was in love with her? Of course they wouldn't be able to say why or how it happened, just that I loved her. And it's not like I'd be able to lie to her and say I didn't, because I did and I could never keep something like that from her… I loved her. So much more than I thought was possible to love another human being.

But for now, I would just have to keep that to myself. And I knew it wouldn't be much longer, I am not ignorant. I know how the whole imprinting thing goes. Once you imprint there is no ignoring it or walking away from it. It is real and it is untamable and uncontrollable. And I know Bella is having just as much trouble as I am because this whole thing isn't one sided. Both people feel it and both people need each other like they need air in their lungs. But she is fighting it. Just like I am.

And as I stood in the woods in the back of her house and listened to her as she wept, I couldn't help but ask myself: is she crying because of me?

TBC

* * *

**AN: So, obviously I lied. I guess you could really call this more of a second prologue than a chapter one. I wanted to introduce both of Sam and Bella's struggles before I really picked up and got the story going. The next chapter, chapter two, will be much longer and more fulfilling… but what did you thing of prologue two?**


	3. Hi Bella

**Stay With Me**

Chapter One: Hi Bella

**Bella's POV**

"_Before you say anything I know I am breaking the treaty by coming here," Edward told Sam quickly, "But you need to hear what I have to say before you go off threatening me." He waiting for Sam's response, which was a stiff gesture of folding his arms across his chest, "I wanted to thank you, for finding Bella and taking her back to her father back in September. It was truly courageous of you, I don't know what might have happened to her had you not found her. So thank you." _

"_You are thanking me…" Sam began, "… for finding Bella in the woods, and bringing her home to the safety of her father after you abandon her? Alone in the woods?" _

"_I know how bad that sounds, but you don't understand the circumstances." Edward told him calmly, "You don't know anything about me or Bella or our relationship… of, the relationship we had." He corrected himself._

"_Yeah," Sam agreed, "You're right, I don't. Please, fill me in. Because, I don't entirely understand what circumstances could have possibly made you leave Bella alone in the woods like you did. What circumstances were so crucial, that you just left her there hurt and cold and alone. Tell me exactly what she did to you, to deserve that kind of punishment and abuse." _

"_I was… protecting her." Edward told him slowly, "My being around put her in danger, every single day. And so I left, leaving her to the security and comfort of a normal life." _

"_So, let me get this right." Sam said again, "Now, correct me if I am wrong. But, what I am getting at here is this: you were trying to protect her by breaking up with her and then leaving her alone in the woods at night? Where, God knows what could have happened to her." He waited, "Did I miss anything?"_

"_Look, I just came here to thank you. But if you can't except my thanks then I will just be on my way." Edward told him bitterly._

"_I am not excepting an apology for doing something that should have never had to been done." Sam told him flatly, "Having to go out and find her when half the tribe was at the Swan's house while his daughter was missing, in the woods, at night, because of something you did, is just not something I am proud of having to do. You were around when the treaty was founded, bloodsucker, so I thought that, maybe, being around all of those years would make you smarter. But I guess I was mistaken." _

"_I'm sorry for taking up your time, Sam." Edward told him with a weak smile before turning himself around._

"_Don't apologize for taking up my time," Sam spat at him, "Apologize for what you did to Bella." _

"_Bella is no concern of yours." Edward told him as he turned back round to face him, "I am no concern of yours, the relationship Bella and I had is no concern of yours… so just stop talking about Bella around me. You don't even know her. All you did was carry her home one night, so don't even being to think you know anything about her." _

"_I never said I did." Sam told him, "But what you did… leaving her like that. I sure as hell know a lot more about her now than you do. You broke her, you shattered her. The girl you fell in love with and the girl you left in the woods is a completely different person. So, no, I won't tell you I know anything about the Bella you loved, but about the Bella you left… ask me anything." _

"_If you don't stop bring her up, this is going to end badly for you." Edward threatened, "So just stop bringing up the past, stop bringing up Bella, and I'll be on my way." _

"_But isn't that why you came, sparkles?" Sam asked him, "To thank me for doing something for Bella, in the past?" _

"_I have said my part, I don't have to say anything else to you Sam." Edward told him blankly._

"_You are on my territory, Cullen, so yeah, you kind of do." Sam retorted, "I mean, I am being awfully generous by letting you speak to me at all. Especially about Bella." _

"_I'm really not in the mood for quarrels, so just let me be on my way." Edward told him in a beggars tone. _

"_See, I can't let you do that." Sam told him as he stepped from his doorway, "You see, I have been waiting a while now to be able to see you face to face." _

"_Is that so?" Edward asked, "And why is that?" _

"_Because I am going to kill you." Sam told him matter-of-factly. _

"_Don't be stupid, you'd be dead before you even had a chance to lift a finger." _

"_Is that a threat?" Sam asked him, "Or a promise?" _

"_Goodbye, Sam." Edward told him as he began walking off._

"_You aren't leaving!" Sam shouted as he quickly phased into an oversized ebony colored wolf. _

"_Stupid, brainless, weak, little child." Edward sighed, "You really are something else to think you can take me on." _

_Sam growled violently as he slashed at him with his extended claws. _

"_Just back off now, before I end up accidentally killing you." Edward warned him as he turned to face the enraged wolf, who howled out in response before slashing his claws at him again. _

"_Very well," Edward whispered, "This may hurt a little… try not to scream so much." _

_GGRRAAWWRR! Sam called out in pain as Edward threw himself at the wolf. GGRRAAWWRR! AAUUGGRRHH! He howled out as Edward snapped the wolfs ligaments… and then that final GGRRAAWWRRAAUUGGRRHHRRAAWWRR! As the wolfs movements ended, and the wolfs heart stopped._

_He was lifeless, limp… Sam was dead._

"NNNOOOOOO! SAM!" I screamed aloud as I jolted awake from my overly-heated bed, "Damn it," I whispered softly to myself with my face buried in my hands, "When will these stupid dreams end?"

* * *

"Bells!" Charlie called from downstairs, "Can you come down here please?"

"Yeah dad!" I called back, "Just a minute!"

I quickly bounded down the narrow steps before finding my dad standing casually in the doorway of the living room.

"Bella, that was quick." He told me with a smile.

"Yeah," I agreed, "What's up?" I wondered as I slid my hands into my back pockets.

"Well, I probably should have told you this sooner, but I invited someone over for dinner." He told me.

"Okay," I said.

"Alright." He chuckled, "Well, do you remember Sam Uley?"

"Yeah," I said breathlessly as I felt my heart stop dead in my chest, "Why?"

"Well, I invited him over for dinner." Charlie told me with an awkward grin.

"Oh?" I asked.

"Yeah, I decided it was time we get him over here and thank him properly for bringing you home that night." Charlie explained, "So your off kitchen duty tonight, I'm making spaghetti and garlic bread, so stay out of my way." He half joked.

"Okay." I told him with a huff.

"Alright, I'll be in the kitchen then." He told me before walking past me to his destination.

I stood there speechless, motionless, for I don't know how long. Seconds? Minutes, maybe? I don't know… but however long it was it felt like hours, weeks, months even.

As I exhaled a deep breath for the first time in God-only-knows-how-long, it was immediately inverted back into my body at the sound of two musical chimes:

_Ding! Dong!_

"Can you get that!" Charlie's voice sounded from the kitchen.

"Yeah," I mumbled in a hush whisper to myself, "No problem."

_No problem_. I thought to myself as I took a step to the front door. _He is just a person, just a guy. _Another step. _No reason to be nervous. _Another step. _I mean it's not like we even know each other. _Another step and a deep breath. _Just act totally cool… _

The door made a soft _whoosh!_ as my hand gripped firmly onto the handle and pulled it open. I braced myself and...

"Hi Bella."

TBC


	4. Resistance

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Two: Resistance

**Bella's POV**

It took me a moment to pull myself together before getting out a simple and shaky, "Hello."

"How have you been?" He asked me gently with a look of true concern, "Jacob said he hasn't heard from you in a while?"

"Yeah, you know, I've been really…" I trailed off, "… come in, Charlie is… my dad's in the kitchen cooking…" I told him with my hand gripped so tightly on the door handle it was a real impossibility to walk away undamaged, "I'm sure dinner will be ready soon."

"Thanks," He smiled as he passed through the doorway in a pair of dark blue jeans and a light grey T covered by a thin brown leather jacket… and I couldn't help but wonder how it would feel to have his arm's wrap around…

"You can have a seat in the living room, make yourself at home." I cut off my thoughts as I gently closed the front door with strain so apparent even I could hear it in the words I spoke… in the air I breathed.

I slowly followed Sam into the living room, silently bashing myself for letting my thoughts attack me at a time like this.

"So, um, thank you," I began, trying everything I could to shut out the thoughts and images running through my mind, "For finding me and bringing me home, that night."

"It was nothing." He told me with a nod.

"No, really. I wouldn't have been able to find my way home… not in the state I was in." I told him. "So, thank you."

"Well, you're welcome, Bella." He told me sincerely with a small crooked smile. I smiled back and felt a rush of burning red heat spread across my cheeks as our eyes locked, which caused me to quickly turn my attention away from him.

"Um… I'm going to go see if Charlie needs any help with dinner, I'll be right back." I told him slowly as I stood from the couch.

"Oh, let me come with you." Sam suggested as he stood in synch with me, "Better for me to help than sit around and do nothing."

I looked at him and nodded slowly as the two of us rounded ourselves to the opening between the couch and chair. And as I took my last final step before the opening the unthinkable happened: my body rammed firmly against his and was falling carelessly towards the ground. But right before I made harsh contact with the ground I felt two large hands wrap around my waist and hoist me into security. I could feel Sam's chest pressed firmly against my back as his arms were wrapped securely around me, dangling my feet in the air as the two of us breathed heavily.

"Are you alright?" He asked me as he set me back onto solid ground; keeping his arms firmly around me.

"Yeah," I told him out-of-breath with my eyes closed, "I'm fine." My heart was pounding so hard in my chest it hurt, but it wasn't from falling. It was from the closeness and feel of his arms around me, it was from his body pressed up against mine and the heat radiating between us.

Without having realized it, my hands had at some point ended up cupped around his and my arms folded across his strong ones.

Still not releasing me, he asked, "Are you sure?" He whispered softly, "I can feel your heart racing against your chest… it's vibrating on my arm."

"I'm fi-" I tried to say _I'm fine,_ but I could hardly breath, it was intoxicating to be this close to him… with his arms around me, "Yes. I'm fine." I said shakily, "What were we doing?" I wondered as I opened my eyes to look down at his arms wrapped warmly around me, and mine around his.

"We were going to the kitchen to help Charlie… with dinner." He told me with just as much strain in his voice as I had in mine, I could feel his hot breath against my earlobe and neck, and it made me tremble with comfort. _What the hell is going on!_

"Maybe we should… maybe we should do that." I stammered with wobbling knees as I slid my fingers between his, locking our hands together. _Get a hold of yourself Isabella!_

"You're trembling Bella." He told me softly as his arms tightened around me.

"I'm fine." I lied, "Really… I can walk." I breathed.

"Maybe you should just, sit down." He suggested, "Give yourself a minute to calm down… to breath."

"You're probably right." I said truthfully, "I should just sit down." I nodded my head as he slowly pulled his arms away from me; our hands reluctantly parting from each other. Sam then took a step away from me to allow me room to wobble myself back onto the couch. Once there, I took a few deep breaths and allowed myself to breath steadily again as my heart rate subtly slowed back to its usual pace.

There was silence between us until Charlie announced dinner was ready.

* * *

"Really, it was nothing," Sam went on after Charlie had thanked him for the sixty-eight-billionth time for finding me and bringing me home, "I go into those woods a lot, so it was pretty easy to find her."

"Well, still." Charlie said, "Thank you, I don't know what I would have done had Bella stayed out there all night. God only knows what animals are out there after dark that could have… well… thank you Sam, really."

At this, Sam merely nodded with a smile, having picked up on the: Charlie thanks, Sam welcome's, repeat, routine.

"So dad this is great," I said, quickly changing the subject, "Really. It makes me wonder if I shouldn't have you cook more often." I joked as I took a sip of ice water to my lips.

"Thanks, Bells." He said awkwardly before biting into a steaming slice of garlic bread.

"Yeah, she's right Charlie, this is fantastic." Sam agreed before taking a bite of spaghetti, "Thank you for inviting me over." He smiled after swallowing down his food.

"The pleasure is all mine, Sam." Charlie smiled, "So, hey, since you're here, I was wondering…" _Oh no… this can't be good… _"… Bella has been struggling with her math in school, and I was wondering if you could help her out."

I felt heat rush to my cheeks as quick as the plague and I brought an oversized fork-full of spaghetti to my mouth, therefore excusing myself from any immediate comment.

"Oh, yeah, sure no problem," Sam smiled, "That was my best subject when I was in school, so I'd be more than happy to help her out."

"Oh, well, what a coincidence, it's Bella's worst." Charlie laughed, "I don't want you to feel obligated, so, I can pay you, if you want."

"No, it's fine Charlie, I'm not too busy during the days, so it would give me and excuse to get out of the house more." Sam laughed.

"How does that sound Bells?" Charlie asked as two sets of eyes fell on me. But my mouth being still full of un-chewed noodles, beef bits and tomato sauce, I merely nodded and tried my best to smile.

"Great," Charlie smiled as he poked at his plate, "Thank you Sam, it'll help her out a lot."

"Anytime Charlie, it's my pleasure." Sam nodded as he brought a piece of thick garlic bread to his pink, full lips. I watched him as he chewed slowly, setting down the piece of bread, and taking his glass of water in his other hand. He swallowed suddenly, and brought the ice water to his lips and…

"I'm sorry," I blushed as his eyes met with mine, "I didn't mean to… that's got to be awkward, someone watching you while you eat." I rambled on as I poked at my spaghetti, "I'm really sorry… I didn't even realize I was doing it."

Charlie chucked from across the table as Sam said, "It's alright Bella, nothing to worry about. I'm sure we've been guilty of it at least once in our life." He smiled.

I smiled as I brought a piece of garlic bread to my own lips.

"See?" He asked, "I was doing it right then, not even realizing it."

"Okay you two," Charlie announced as he stood from his seat with plate and glass in hands, "I'm going to go watch a re-run of a baseball game I missed the other night, you can just leave your dishes by the sink and I'll take care of it before I go to bed."

Sam and I nodded in unison as Charlie made his way over to the sink, "Thanks again, Charlie." Sam thanked him with a genuine smile.

"Anytime Sam," Charlie nodded, "I'll be in the other room." And he was gone.

"So," Sam said, "Do you want to take a look at your math tonight?" he asked me before taking a sip of water.

"Um, yeah," I nodded as I spun my fork around to gather a bundle of spaghetti, "Sure."

"Alright." He smiled before taking another bite of garlic bread, "Oh, Bella," He laughed softly.

"What?" I asked him self-consciously.

"You have a," He set down his bread, "You have some sauce on your nose."

"Oh," And yet again, the heat came.

"Here," He said softly as he bundled a clean napkin in his hand, "Let me."

I half smiled as he leaned towards me, napkin-in-hand extended as he softly rubbed the tip of my nose, "There," He sighed, "Good as new."

"Thank you," I thanked him as our eyes locked.

"You're welcome," He whispered with a smile before biting into another fork-full of spaghetti.

* * *

I sat criss-cross at the head of my bed with my math book and spiral notebook huddled in my lap as Sam sat with his feet hanging off the side of it near the foot of my mattress; his head turned to face me.

"Okay, so, I'm not going to lie," I began as I looked shamefully down at my work, "I am behind. Like, really really behind. So, this isn't going to be easy… and it's probably going to take a while." I told him truthfully.

"Well, let's see where you are, and we'll start from there." Sam said.

"Seriously, you might want to reconsider my dad's offer to pay you, because this is going to take up a lot of your free time." I warned him, "Not just an hour here and there."

He let out a soft laugh, "I don't mind spending time with you Bella." He told me, "Really."

I smiled then blushed softly, pulling myself to face downwards towards my books, "I like when you do that." Sam said softly.

"What?" I asked him as I flipped randomly through my Algebra 101 book, reading nothing but blank words.

"Blush." He told me as I looked back up at him, and when our eyes met that heat that had filled me earlier returned. Only it wasn't in my face, but in my core, threatening to send me into a fit of uncontrolled trembles.

But fighting against it, I said, "Okay, so I am still in the beginning of the book, I don't understand anything. It's all gibberish to me." I laughed softly as I shook my head.

"Let me see." He told me as I extended the book towards him, but drew back as he stood to take a place next to me.

As he sat down beside me he leaned his back softly against the head of my bed; relaxing next to me. I slid the book into his lap and watched as he ran his fingers over the mass of numbers on the thin pages in the book.

"Yeah, these are easy." He said softly as he looked over at me.

"But they're not," I disagreed, "They're just numbers, stupid little numbers that mash together to form something that makes no sense in my mind." I complained, "See? I'm already getting a headache by just looking at the stupid things!" I told him as I closed my eyes and began softly circling my middle and index fingers against my temples.

"I'll help you understand Bella," He promised me as I heard my book close shut, but was in too much agonizing pain to care to open my eyes to see why it had closed.

I felt Sam's hands wrap around mine as he slowly guided them into my lap. He then placed his fingers against my temples and began softly massaging them, "Is that better?" He asked me softly.

"Uh-huh," I moaned softly as I allowed my body to relax against his.

"Good," He told me with an apparent smile in his voice, "Just tell me when your headaches gone."

"They've been known to last hours." I warmed him softly.

"We'll I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," He told me, "So just tell me when it's gone."

"Okay," I said slowly, feeling more and more comfort and warmth in the feeling of his body molded against mine, "I will."

"Are you comfortable Bella?" He asked in a hush whisper.

"Mhm," I moaned softly, "Very… are you?" I wondered in a dreamy-voice, "I'm not crowding you, am I?'

"No Bella, I'm comfortable. You're not crowding me at all." He assured me quietly.

"Good," I said simply, softly.

And as I sat there, relaxed against his body, I could have sworn I felt his lips gently press against the side of my head. But it must have just been my imagination, because Sam would have no reason to kiss me… would he?

TBC


	5. Confessions

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Three: Confessions

**Sam's POV**

"Hey Bella, aren't you still in school?" I asked suspiciously as I sat lazily in front of my computer with my cell pressed to my ear, "I thought you didn't get out until two?"

"Yeah, I don't, but I needed to talk to you."

"Oh?" I asked as I leaned forward in my seat, "What about?"

"Um, well, you see, there was kind of an… incident, during PE, and it has rendered me incapable to drive. So, I was wondering, since Charlie doesn't get off until later, if you could pick me up from school? I mean, I know it's a lot to ask, but, I just… I can always walk if you'd rather-"

"No, I will get you Bella," I told her with a smile, "And an incident that has left you unable to drive? Sounds serious, what happened? Are you alright?"

"Um… it's… you're going to laugh…" She said with a huff.

"I promise I won't laugh at you Bella." I promised her.

"Okay, well… we were playing baseball, and, well, firstly no one told me to stand back when someone was up to bat!" She complained, "So this one really isn't my fault, but um… after they swung the bat they threw it backwards, and it kind-of-sort-of decided to land on my shin bone…" She trailed off, "And then someone suggested I pitch, and the person I pitched to decided I was a good target to aim at, and so the ball hit my stomach instead of going into the field. Then… when I was in the field there was a butterfly, and it was really pretty and it was yellow and it distracted me. And so I had no idea the batter had even gone up to plate… until the ball hit me in the head."

I had my eyes closed and was imagining everything she was describing to me, but it was the last one that had me smiling. Just picturing her watching a butterfly, the wind blowing through her hair in a field of grass and the day light illuminating her fair skin…

"So, that last hit really took a toll on me. They sent me to the nurse and she told me I'd be better off just taking the rest of the day off because she didn't want me to aggravate my head at all. So… I thought of you."

I smiled, "Well, it sounds like tutoring is out for the day."

"I am so disappointed," She faked enthusiasm; I laughed.

**

* * *

**

I pulled up to Forks High just as the sky was letting loose its first batch of rain for the day. Bella was sitting patiently on the curb near the main entrance and had her legs folded up in a narrow X shape with her hood pulled up over her head. She was scanning the lot as I pulled my truck up to the curb just a few feet before her; she smiled and stood up as her eyes met with mine.

I quickly changed gears to _Park_ and jumped out to help her before she could get too far… her limp was bad.

"Hey you," I smiled as I took her backpack from her and slung it over my shoulder, "Think you can make it to the truck? Your leg seems pretty bad."

"It's not _so _bad… just horrible in every way and ugly to look at," She laughed, "Honestly, it felt like my shin snapped in two when the bat hit me. The nurse told me it's not that bad but to get an X-ray just in case something did crack in there… it hurts a lot more than I'm letting on right now, I'm going to be perfectly honest with you."

"Aw, Bella, couldn't she give you a pair of crutches or something? I mean, you really shouldn't be putting any pressure on it if you're not sure what's going on."

"Yeah, she said something about having to have a doctors note for that. It's stupid, I mean, this is high school, we're not kids trying to mess around anymore. Crutches are both uncomfortable and inconvenient, why would someone want them just to play with? And if there is someone who goes around doing that, they make it really hard for those of us who actually _need_ them."

"Yeah, that is really stupid. I mean, if you do have a fracture or break in there it is just getting worse by you walking around on it."

"I know… but I can't really do anything until my dad gets off of work."

"Well, your dad doesn't get off until after dark, and that will probably be to late to just go in for an X-ray. I could take you to the hospital if you want, I mean, it's not far, and I'd feel a lot better if I knew you were alright." I told her truthfully as I ran my hand through my hair.

"Yeah, the hospital, you know, you really don't have to do that. I'm sure it's fine anyways. I'll just keep off it, and, if it doesn't feel better in a few days _then _I will take you up on that."

"Bella, do you… do you have an issue with hospitals?" I wondered curiously.

"No it's just… yeah, I mean they're _embarrassing_."

I laughed softly, "Bella, you're hurt, I think you should look past your embarrassment… do it for me. Do it knowing I won't be able to sleep until I know you have been taken care of."

"Bu-" I stepped forward and placed my index finger across her lips.

"Now, I know a thing or two about injuries but I am no expert," I told her, "But I'm not afraid to lay you down right now and look at it myself if that's what it takes. But I can guarantee it would be much dryer and more comfortable in a hospital room, with someone who actually knows what they're doing looking at you." My voice silenced as I replaced my index finger with my thumb and gently ran it over her lips, outlining every curve and detail.

"That would… probably… be better…" She said slowly as I slid my thumb away from her lips and cupped the shape of her face with the palms of my hands.

"You're _so __beautiful _Bella," I told her softly as she looked up at me with big chocolate eyes. Without speaking, she slid her chilled hands up to my face and ran her fingertips delicately across the shape of my lips. She then traced along my nose, chin, cheeks, forehead, jaw line, and lips.

Bella slowly closed her eyes and leaned forward against me and wrapped her arms around my waist. I sighed unsteadily as I slid my hands around to the back of her head and shoulders, and I held her tightly.

"_Sam_," She whispered softly, probably not intended for my ears to hear, but I smiled and squeezed her tighter against me.

I knelt my head down and kissed the top of her head softly. She trembled under my touch and gripped onto the cloth at the back of my shirt with her fingers.

I knew she was fighting as hard as I was…

Bella turned her head and buried her face into the crook of my neck, I could feel her uneven breath against my neck, it sent chills down my spine. Her lips then brushed up against my skin, and she kissed my neck softly.

**

* * *

**

By the time we got back to Bella's house, we were soaked. Standing in front of the school like we did wasn't exactly the brightest idea either of us had had, but I sure as hell wouldn't trade it for anything.

_The people at the hospital were probably still moping up our trail we had left…_

Bella's hair was a wet mess of tangled locks, and I had water dripping down my neck and face in what seemed to be a never-ending cycle. My black shirt was sticking to my chest, arms, stomach, back, shoulders… everywhere. And my shoes were pools of fallen rain as my jeans dripped uncontrollably.

"Gotta love Forks," Bella laughed as I set her down gently as the foot of the stairs, being careful not to put pressure on her leg that possessed a 'hairline fracture', "Save on your water bill, take a shower outside." She joked.

"Yeah no kidding, do you have any shampoo I can borrow?" I joked back as we looked through the front window, "It's really coming down… I haven't seen it fall this heavily for a while."

"Yeah, and I'm surprised it's not snow, it's freezing out there." She shivered as she wrapped her arms around herself, "It should be illegal to rain like this, it's unnatural and goes against nature… more water is falling than water that is grounded."

"Yeah it is. Cold I mean." I agreed as I looked down at her, shivering and equipped with a red nose, "You look freezing Bella, you should go take a hot shower and put on some dry clothes. I don't want you to get sick on me."

"That actually sounds perfect," She smiled, "But um, what about you?"

"I'll probably head home and do the same." I said with a shrug.

"Yeah, but, I mean, it's pouring out there, and it's looking like we'll probably loose electricity soon. I know you live alone, and I hate to think of you by yourself…" She told me, "… I'm sure Charlie has some clothes you can borrow, and you can take a shower here, too." She suggested, "I mean, if you want."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, Bella. Are you sure Charlie wont mind?" I asked her.

"No, he won't. Charlie likes you, I mean, you did save me and all." She laughed.

"Yeah, yeah I did." I sighed, "Okay, well, I guess I'll just um… wait here, and th-"

"No you go ahead," She told me, "We only have one bathroom, and, guests first."

"Bella, I'm really fine. I have a strong immune system… you go ahead. I'll just wait and you can come get me when you're done… you're shivering Bella, go!" I told her with a gentle nudge, "I'll be fine."

She smiled and mumbled, "Okay," And I watched her as she hopped up the stairs on her right foot as she pulled herself along by the railing, leaving a thick trail of rain water behind her.

**

* * *

**

"Here's some clothes from Charlie's closet, he doesn't wear them a lot and they were the only non-flannel things I could find." She told me as she set a plain white T and pair of black jeans onto the bathroom counter, "And here are some socks, too, I don't know if that would be too weird, but, I grabbed them just in case."

"Thank you Bella, those are great." I thanked her with a smiled as she stood clad in a pair of grey sweatpants and a white, snug fitting long-sleeve shirt.

"You're welcome," She smiled as she tapped her fingers along the clothes, "So, um, I'll just be in my room when you're done. I'll leave the door open for you."

She smiled before closing the door behind her as she left.

It was like a button; the second I turned the handle for the shower, the lights flicked off. If it wasn't for my superior vision I would have been blind, because it was _dark_. I stood up and peeled my shirt off of my body, followed by my shoes and socks, jeans and boxers.

I turned the heat of the water to medium and stepped into the stream, almost moaning from how good it felt.

I massaged my body with a generous amount of raspberry-vanilla body wash and allowed the sweet scent to fill my nostrils; it smelt like Bella.

I closed my eyes and thought back to our embrace we shared in the parking lot of her school, and found myself holding myself and wishing it were her. She was so small and warm and gentle and perfect.

_And I loved her…_

**

* * *

**

"Sam?" Bella called out softly as I entered her doorway, closing the door softly behind me, "Is that you?" She wondered.

"Yeah, it's me." I assured her, "I don't think your dad is home yet. I guess you were right about the power outage." I laughed as I walked over to her bed where she sat with her back pressed gently leaning against her headboard.

"Yeah, I figured I would be. There's been some lightening and thunder out there, loud and bright."

"Yeah, I heard the thunder." I told her as I sat down at her feet, "I didn't see the lightening though, I must have had my eyes closed I guess."

"Yeah, probably." She agreed with a shiver.

"Are you still cold?" I asked her softly.

She nodded her head as she wrapped her arms around herself, "Yeah, I have terrible body heart." She explained.

"Do you want me to… do you want me to hold you?" I asked her slowly as I cupped my hand around her lower leg.

"Would you?" She asked me with a nervous chuckle, "You're always so warm… I remember from when my dad invited you over to dinner that one time, when we were up here…" She trailed off.

"I remember that too," I told her as I crawled up to the head of her bed beside her, "And I do have a lot of heat to share."

"Yeah," She said softly as we slid down to lay on our sides, "You do."

I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled my chest snugly against her back and she cupped her hands around mine, "Is this better?" I asked her softly as our fingers laced together.

"M… hm," She sighed softly as she pressed her back closer against me and pulled my arms tighter around her, "Much."

"Good," I said softly, "I just want you to be comfortable."

"I am… so… comfortable," She said in a relaxed, soft sigh.

I ran my nose along her exposed neck softly and waited for her response, to see if it was okay. And her fingers tightening around mine gave me the signal to go on with my advances.

I ran my nose up the length of her neck until I reached her ear, where I then brushed it lightly with my nose and surface of my lips. She slid her feet backwards and pretzeled them with mine as I began trailing my lips down her neck, just felling her skin beneath them.

Bella moaned softly as I slid one of my hands away from her. I laced my fingers through her hair and pulled it upwards so more of her skin was exposed.

I then slid my arm back around her and began kissing her neck slowly and tenderly.

She reached her hand up and around and laced her fingers through my hair, turning slowly to face me as I kept my lips caressing along her neck.

"Don't stop Sam," She said softly as she massaged her hand over my head, "It feels so good."

"I won't Bella," I whispered between kisses, "I'll never stop. I have been wanting for this for _so long_."

"I have, too," She said softly as I pulled my lips away from her neck, "You are the only thing I ever think about." She told me, "And I'm scared that I am going to open my eyes and this will all have been a dream."

"It won't, that won't happen Bella. I'm right here, and so are you." I told her as I kissed her neck once more, "I love you, Bella… and I will _never _leave you."

Bella let out a small squeak as she squeezed her eyes shut, "I love you too, Sam… I love you so much."

"God Bella, I love you too… I love you so… so… so… so… so… so much."

Bella ran her thumb across my lips as I wrapped my arm around the small of her back.

But we didn't kiss.

Instead, we just laid there, looking deeply into each others eyes. And whispered to each other that we loved each other.

"_I love you," _She whispered.

"_I love you," _I whispered.

"_I love you," _She told me.

"_I love you," _I told her.

The seconds ticked by. And the minutes ticked by. And the hours ticked by. But our time together… it stood still.

"_I love you." _She cooed.

"_I love you."_ I cooed.

It wasn't until the sun came up that her eyes fell closed.

I watched her peacefully, contently, as she slept soundly in my arms. Thinking to myself how beautiful she was, how perfect she was, how she was my everything… how in love with her I was.

_I didn't have to close my eyes to dream. Because my dream way laying right in front of me._

TBC


	6. Confrontations

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Four: Confrontations

**Jacob's POV**

"Listen, Jake, I really didn't want to keep this from you." Sam began pathetically. "But I just… I wanted something that was mine. Something that I didn't have to share. I mean, ever since this whole wolf thing happened to me nothing has been just _mine _anymore, it has always been _ours_. I mean, our pack is like a giant messed up marriage or something; none of us have anything that is private or secret. We can all see each others thoughts and hear them too. Anything I think you hear, anything Paul thinks Embry hears anything Quil thinks I hear… it just doesn't even feel like I have my own life anymore. So, when I imprinted on Bella, I wanted to tell you, well, okay, no that's a lie; I didn't want to tell you. But I felt guilty for not telling you, and that is the truth."

"Okay… Sam, I get all of that. Really, I do. But, come on man, how clear do I have to be when I say _no secrets_?"

"I know that, and you were very clear. But like I said, I wanted something that was just mine."

"Just yours?" I asked him. "Bella is my best friend, so, what the fuck were you thinking keeping that from me? Anything about Bella, anything involving Bella I am to hear about. Period."

"So, what, she's not aloud to have her own life?" He asked me as he folded his arms smoothly across his chest as if he hadn't done anything wrong. "I mean, really Jake? She's _your best friend! _I mean, when is the last time you even spoke to her? When is the last time you even went to go see her?"

"Nobody has seen her!" I bellowed. "She has locked herself in her house for the past God only knows how many months! Ever since Edward left she has completely shut everyone out! And don't get me started on that 'not me' bullcrap. The only reason you even went over there in the first place was because Charlie wanted to thank you for finding her, if it wasn't for that-"

"Hey, now hold up just a second." He cut me off. "I went to her house every night, _every single night_ after that. I waited outside her window near the woods, listening to the sounds of her sleeping, her breathing, her _crying_… and it killed me Jake. It killed me to hear her, and not be able to hold her in my arms or do anything about it. All I wanted was to take the pain away from her and protect her. I wanted to tell her that everything was alright, and I would be there for her no matter what. So no, Jake, I didn't just go over there because _Charlie wanted to thank me_."

"Damn Sam, I had no idea you did that." I told him weakly. "Next time Bella needs a nighttime stalker, give me a call. I'm sure Paul or Embry will be more than happy to oblige." I smiled widely. "Oh, wait! I forgot… _she didn't know you were there_."

"I was there to protect her!" Sam shouted. "I was there to make sure she was safe! I would never have been there if she didn't want me to be! I love her, and I never want her to be uncomfortable around me, I never want her to feel unsafe in my presence."

"Oh come on! Don't give me that bullshit that you _love_ her! You don't even know her! I know her!" I told him. "That whole imprinting this is just a legend! You are the only one who has done it, so how the hell do you expect any of us to believe you?

"You don't even know anything about love, Sam. So just cut the crap, and drop it, okay? Cause it's getting really tiring."

"I don't know anything about love." Sam laughed as he dropped his head and rubbed his thumb and forefinger along his forehead. "And you do?"

"Yeah." I told him flatly. "As a matter of fact I do."

"Is that a fact?" He asked.

"Yeah, it is. And I think you know perfectly well what I am talking about."

"Go on."

"Bella. You _know_ I am in love with her, and the only reason you are telling everybody that you love her, or, that you told, everybody, is to get back at me for your jealousy."

"What!" He coughed.

"I'm alpha, and it is no secret that you want to be. I mean, yeah, you are the oldest of us all, but get over it. Age isn't shit when it comes to this stuff. So just drop the charade about Bella already."

"Listen, Ja-" He was cut off as a small chime rang from inside his pocket. "Hold on."

"Sure sure." I told him with a sigh.

"Listen, I gotta go. Bella's dad need's my help with something. Can we continue this later? Or, I don't know… never."

"Haha… funny!" I told him. "What does Charlie need?"

"I don't know, help moving something, or building something, I guess. She wasn't real specific."

"Why don't you let me go?" I offered. "Like you said, I haven't seen her for a while, and besides, I'm sure Charlie will be more than happy to see her hanging out with me again." I told him with a wink before bouncing down the front steps, "Besides," I called from my VW rabbit "I'm sure she see's enough of you as it is."

* * *

"Jacob!" Bella smiled as the screen creaked softly. "How have you been?"

"What did you turn psychic on me?" I asked her and I slid my arms around her small waist.

"Yeah, for sure." She laughed. "No, um , Sam called and said you were gonna take over for him. So, how have you been?" She asked as she pulled herself away from me.

"I have been good, I have been good." I told her cheerfully. "Missing you like crazy though, how have you been?"

"I have been good. Really good!" She smiled. "So, do you want to come in? I told Sam I didn't need him here until like five, that's when my dad will be back… but I guess the text cut out or something."

"Yeah, I guess so." I lied as I followed her into the cozy Swan house, "So what is it your dad needs exactly?"

"Ah, that." She smiled, then laughed, hesitantly. "Well, you see, I kind-of-sort-of- accidently tripped over the cord to the oven and kind-of-sort-of-might-have-some-how ripped the cord from the oven itself, therefore costing my dad a couple hundred of dollars on a new oven."

"Bella, you broke the oven?" I asked her while watching her cheeks turn from their usual ivory to familiar cherry red. "Wait, how did you even trip over the cord? It's it pinned between the oven and the wall? I mean, how did you even manage?"

"It's not important…" She said softly. "But, what is important is that you are here to help my dad carry out the old one and pick out a new one!" She smiled with over-empathized cheerfulness.

"So, let me get this straight." I began as a faced my forefingers together and placed them against my lips. "You brought me here to be your slave man for an accident you caused?"

"Hey, first of all, I didn't bring you here, you drove yourself. And, second of all, I didn't even contact you, I contacted my boyfriend. And, thirdly, it's no secret to what a klutz I am, so, the whole oven thing… is it really that big of a shock?"

"Points taken." I laughed.

"Yeah, so don't go blaming me for a plight that was never meant for you." She told me before spitting her tongue out at me like a child.

"Did you…?" I asked. "… Did you just spit your tongue out at me?" I asked her with a subtle laugh.

"No!" She half smiled, half laughed before turning from the living room and leading us into the kitchen. "I'm hungry, are you hungry?" She offered, changing the subject.

"Yeah." I laughed to myself. "I could use some food. I haven't eaten since 1:30."

Her eyebrows pulled into themselves as she pulled her head from the refrigerator and looked over at me. "Um, Jake, it's 2:06…"

"Yeah." I sighed. "I know, I really shouldn't space my meals out so far from each other, it's not good for my health." I joked while running my fingers through my hair and rubbing my scalp.

She smiled and shook her head slowly from side to side. "Jake… Jake, Jake, Jake, Jake!"

"Yeeeeees?" I asked while taking a wide step towards her.

"You should have told me!" She complained. "I mean, you poor baby, starving yourself like that. I would have had macaroni, meatloaf, fettuccini, garlic bread, barbeque ribs… I mean, I would have taken care of you. But, since you didn't tell me…"

"Bella…" I half laughed. "Bella…" I said again as I laced my fingers together and slowly dropped to my knees. "I will do anything, _anything_, to get a _fraction_ of the food you were just preaching about… anything Bella, anything… anything…"

"I donno…" She smiled as she walked away from me to the pantry. "… you didn't tell me…"

"Bella I-"

"Easy-Mac." She told me matter-of-factly as she thumbed two boxes on either sides of her hips. "Ribs are in the freezer and barbeque sauce is in the cupboard behind you."

"You, Bella Swan, are a Goddess. A Queen and a Humanitarian." I told her as I rose to my feet and strode across the room and kissed her gently on the cheek.

"Yeah, yeah. You can thank me later. I'll get started on the Easy-Mac, I'm guessing you still know where the barbeque-"

"In the garage next to your dad's fishing supplies!" I called as I headed off in the direction of the garage.

* * *

"Dude, why didn't you just tell us in the first place?" Embry asked as he, Quil, Paul and Sam sat in a wide circle around an early day bonfire on the La Push beach. "I mean, you and Jake could have avoided this whole thing if you just spoke up sooner. We _all _could have avoided it. I mean, knowing Jake it's going to be the only thing on his mind from now until ever. He never lets things go dude, you should have just said something, then it wouldn't even be a big deal right now. It probably would have been, but not for as long as it will now cause it was a big secret and all."

"I know that, really, but, I mean… haven't you ever thought about our lack of privacy?" Sam asked him as he leaned forward with his elbows pressed comfortably against his knees. "I mean, haven't any of you? I mean, when is the _last_ time any of you remember knowing something that only you knew about. Can you even remember?"

"No." Paul said after a moment of silence among the group.

"No, I can't." Embry added.

"Not even." Quil shrugged.

"See? This whole No-Keeping-Secrets-No-Matter-What deal, it's kind of selfish. Now I'm not trying to conspire against Jake or anything, but, haven't you ever thought about that? Nothing we have is ours anymore! And when I imprinted on Bella… all I wanted was for her to be mine. Not _ours,_ but mine. My secret.

"I love her so much, and I am not ashamed of her. I never want any of you to think that's why I kept her a secret, ever. Because she is the last thing in this world I ever want to hurt…

"But, I just, I wanted her to be just mine for a little while. I wanted to spend time alone with her without other people, you _punks_, being able to see private moments that was just ours, hers and mine. Because to me you guys aren't just looking into my thoughts, but hers too. Because when I am with her it isn't just me, but its us.

"I mean, it's like when we are together my heart isn't even mine anymore, but hers. Like when I feel her heart beat against my chest it is beating in synch with mine. It's honestly the most amazing feeling in the world. I would do anything for that girl, for Bella… my Bella. I would die for her, I would take a bullet for her or a stab to the chest, I would kill for her, I would slash someone's tires for her or teepee someone's house."

"You really do love her, don't you?" Embry asked gently.

"No… he's in love with her." Quil corrected him as Sam looked over at the youngest among the group, and smiled.

"Well…" Paul added as he cleared his throat awkwardly. "…I think that is my queue to leave." He said as he stood up, feeling awkward and out of place at such a deep and 'Chick-Flicky' moment.

"Pussayyy!" Embry called after him.

"Bitch." Paul winked as he began jogging away from the group. "See you guys later."

"See ya Paul." Sam waved, understanding his discomfort, having once had it himself.

"Well… I don't know about you guys, but all this talk has got me in the mood for some-"

"Dude!" Quil interjected as he threw his hands into the air. "Come on man! I really don't need to hear about your desires and fantasies _again!_"

"Hotdogs… ya nasty." Embry said as he shook his head, "Thinking I wanted to have sex with girls, we've had this discussion! Damn… I'll be back in a few."

"_Awkwarddddd!_" Quil sang as he and Sam watched their friend jog off into the distance.

"Um, I think he meant hotdogs that taste good on a bun with ketchup and mustard after being roasted over an open fire…" Sam said stiffly with his hands cupped around one another as he understood his young friends' misunderstanding.

"Oh…"

"Awkward." Sam said breathily as the two looked away from each other.

* * *

"So, Bella." I began as we headed back into the living room, having finished our epic lunch. "What's up with you and Sam?"

"Oh, um, not much. Why?" She asked while running her fingers through the side of her head to place a bundle of hair behind her ear.

"I'm just curious, I mean, I haven't seen you for a while, and I just found out today about you two, so I figured while I'm here I'd ask." I told her as I sat down beside her on the couch.

"Oh, well, there isn't really much to tell, I mean, we've been together for a couple months now. And it wasn't random or anything, he came over here almost everyday before, and we'd hang out and he'd help me with my math homework. And during that time we really got to know each other, but…"

"…But?" I asked with hidden hopefulness in my soul.

"But it wasn't even that… the hanging out, getting to know each other. It was before then, before he even came over here that one night for dinner. It was like… like I loved him, or at least wanted him, before I ever really even met him. I only ever saw him that once when he found me in the Wood's after Edward left. But, for some reason, after that, I couldn't get him out of my mind. Ever. He was all I thought about, it was like I was using Edward as an escape goat, using him and saying it was his leaving that gave me all that pain, when really it was not being able to see Sam."

I inhaled a long, sharp breath, and crossed my arms stiffly across my chest and waited _patiently _for her to continue.

"I'm sorry." She said unexpectedly. "This is probably the last thing you wanted to hear, I mean, you probably heard all of this from Sam already."

"No, he doesn't talk about you much." I told her.

"He doesn't?" She asked me with sadness in her voice.

"No, not until today." I told her softly, gently. "I mean, you say you two have been together for a couple months, and hanging out nearly everyday before that?" She nodded. "He told everyone he was helping out with his family."

"You don't think… you don't think he's like, ashamed, of me, do you?" She asked softly as she balled her hands into small loose balls.

"No, Bella, no, how could he be?" I asked her. "I mean, look at you. Your smart, beautiful, loving, funny… _warm_." I told her softly as I pulled myself closer to her while sliding my arm gently around her shoulders.

"Jake…" She said hesitantly.

"Come on Bella… I know how you feel about me. And I know, I know why you stayed away from me for so long. You stayed away for the same reason I did. Because you were scared, you were scared of what you would feel the moment you were around me again." I told her as I caressed my lips along her cheek. "Bella…"

"…Jake…Jake…" She protested as she pushed her hand up against my chest.

"If I was with you Bella, if we were together, I would always talk about you, I would always think about you. I would never be ashamed of you. Never." I whispered.

"Jacob! Stop!" She burst out.

"Baby, stop, I know you're just scared, I am too. But don't be. There is not need to be." I told her as I pulled her down and slid myself on top of her and laced my fingers through hers. "I know you were just using Sam to get to me, to make me jealous. And it worked." I laughed. "It worked baby, you got me jealous as fuck. But I'm here now, and you don't have to worry about anything else." I told her before pressing my lips against hers.

"Mm!" She squealed while rolling her head to the side; her eyes squeezed shut. "Jacob! Stop! Stop it! I don't love you!" She told me. "I love Sam! Sam is the one I am with, he's the one I want! He's the only one I want!"

"Stop lying to me, stop lying to yourself, you know how bad you want me. I know how bad I want you." I told her as I cupped her two small wrists tightly inside my hand, while sliding my free one to the top of her jeans.

"Get off of me!" She cried. "Ow, ouch, Jake, you're hurting me! Please don't do this! Please!" She begged. "Please stop!"

"Get the fuck off of my daughter." I heard a stern voice command as I pulled my lips from Bella's exposed neck.

Charlie was home. And his gun was drawn and aimed.

At me.

TBC


	7. This

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Five: This

**Sam's POV**

"Bella… Bella… Bells, honey, are you hurt anywhere?" Charlie asked softly to his daughter, who lay still and silent on the couch. "Bella, please say something baby. I need to know if you are hurt."

After a few minutes of silence, I placed my hand gently on Bella's shoulder and said softy. "Bella, if you are alright, I am going to go see if I can find Jacob. He can't get away with what he tried to do to you."

"No." She whispered softly, after God only knows how many agonizing minutes of silence. "Please don't." She begged with apparent tears in her voice as her small hand wound itself around mine, as if she were holding on for life. "Please stay with me."

"I will Bella." I told her softly as I pulled myself closer towards her. "I won't go anywhere, I'm right here, I have you. I won't leave you." I promised her.

"But you said-"

"I got you to talk didn't I?" I asked her with a smile before leaning forward to kiss her forehead softly and tenderly.

"Bella, honey… Are you alright?" Charlie tried again. This time, with luck.

"My wrist hurts really badly." She sniffed.

"Can I see it?" I asked her gently, as she placed her hand trustingly in mine. "It's broken… He broke her wrist." I said with bitter, but subtle, rage in my tone.

"Oh, don't you worry, I'll get a warrant to kill him and still keep my badge." Charlie said without an ounce of sarcasm.

"Don't bother; I'll beat you to it." I told him calmly. "And don't worry about an investigation; I won't leave any evidence behind."

"Now, as much as that makes me want to hug you, Sam, bear in mind that I am still a uniformed officer and any threats of-"

"And bear in mind that this is your daughter and you walked in on her damn near being raped in your own home. And I'll be damned if I let my once-close-friend get away with trying to force himself onto the woman I love. And believe me, that wasn't a threat, if it were you would be cuffing me and taking me down to the station right now. Because if you even saw a _hint _of what was going through my mind right now, what I am picturing doing to him, you'd have your gun aimed at me." I cut him off. "Now, can we please take Bella to the hospital?"

* * *

"Bella, I realize that he's not around, but I would really feel more comfortable if you got a restraining order, or, I don't know, pressed charges. Something. Because I can't have something like that happened again, I mean, I was lucky to get off early today. But I won't always have that luxury, getting off early. And I know Sam here won't always be able to come to your rescue eith-"

"Dad! I don't need anyone to come to my rescue!" Bella cut him off. "What happened happened! Okay? Admittedly you stopped whatever was about to happen from happening. And I get that, and I also get that I was damn lucky to have you get off early, and also damn lucky my dad is a cop who carries a gun. But you can keep guilting me to thinking this is my fault it happened! I didn't do anything! And I didn't expect anything from you or Sam or anyone else! I mean, it's not like he was gon-"

"He was going to rape you! Bella!" Charlie cut in. "And I am sorry that I am guilting you, I didn't realize it, but damnit Bells! Do you have any idea what I was feeling when I walked in and heard and saw you struggling under Jake like that? What it felt like to have to pull out my gun and point it at him like that? And then just stand there as he fled from the house? Being torn between going after him and checking on my daughter?"

"Dad… I know. And I'm sorry, I'm sorry any of this happened. But pressing charges… A restraining order. It makes it all so… Real."

"And a broken wrist doesn't?" Charlie wondered calmly. "Bells, baby, I want to forget this happened just as much as you do. But, how can we prevent it from happening again if we don't do anything about it?"

"He's my- he _was_, my best friend dad. So how can you stand there and tell me to just restrain my best friend from ever seeing me?"

"Bella." Charlie said softly as he knelt forward and took his daughter's hand in his. "I know that you care about him, but, I just don't understand how you can even think like that anymore after what happened today."

"I know that dad, but, I just… I can't force myself to do it. Even after everything… It just seems so disloyal, to him."

"Do you know what one of your best qualities is?" Charlie asked her calmly as he stroked the side of her hair; she looked at him curiously. "Your ability to forgive." He smiled. "But it's also one of your biggest flaws.

"I know Jake and you go way back, but, after what he tried to do to you today… Even if he does come back, whenever that is, I don't want you to hang around him. Ever."

"I know that dad, and I'm not going to. I can understand how you got confused with what I said though. But what I meant was I am not going to file anything against him legally. I never meant I still want to be his friend. I mean, how can I? I know I could have gotten really hurt today, even more so than I did. And I am sorry that I acted so calm about it, but I guess it's just how I deal with things. By acting like they aren't ever that big, no matter how colossal they may be. And I don't want you to think I am ungrateful for what you did; pointing a gun to someone you have known since they were born… It can't have been easy. But you were doing it to protect me, so, thanks." She paused. "And also… I am sorry for yelling at you."

"Yeah, I'm sorry too kiddo." He sighed. "It's just… The thought of anything ever happening to you terrifies me. Let alone seeing something happen to you. I acted out of instinct. Both as an officer and as your father. So at the time, as hard as I said it was, it wasn't. Out of all honesty, I didn't really see who it was at first. I just saw you being attacked and so I did the first thing I was trained to do, the first thing I could think to do. But then, when I saw who it was, that's when the shock and reality hit me: I am pointing a gun at my closest friends' son.

"And, earlier with Sam… when we were talking about killing Jacob, I could never kill him. No matter how much I may want to, I could never go through with it."

"Dad." She said after a moment. "You know if I ever thought he was capable of doing something like that, I wouldn't have let him in?" Bella asked him. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah…" He replied. "…Yeah, I know. I just can't believe Jacob would do something like that, especially to you. I am a mix of emotions right now Bells: anger, rage, confusion, sadness, panic… really there aren't enough words to describe what I have been feeling ever since it happened.

"But I have been thinking, and I know this whole expressing your emotions things with the opposite sex thing can't be easy, especially when it's your old man."

"Well, you're not wrong, but you're not that bad dad."

"Well, be that as it may…" And he braced himself. "…I called your mother down in Jacksonville."

"Dad! No! Why would you-"

"I didn't tell her anything." He reassured her while putting his hands up. "But I wanted to, believe me. But, however, as much as I fought my instincts to tell her, I knew it would be better coming from you. And you're responsible and I knew you would tell her when you felt yourself ready to open up about something like that. And I figure you'd probably be a lot more comfortable talking to her instead of me about it." He paused. "Because I know you have a lot of things you're keeping inside right now. And that's not healthy baby."

Bella took a moment before responding. "So, what did you tell her?"

"I lied." Charlie said. Bella thought: _naturally_

"I told her I was going on a fishing trip with Billy Black and Harry Clearwater, and I said I wasn't too sure about leaving you alone at the house for two weeks. So, she said her and Phil would be more than happy to have you."

"But, what abo-"

"I already called the school; they're mailing all your homework to your mother's place, so you'll be all caught up by the time you get back."

"Wow, dad, thanks!" Bella thanked him. "I can't believe I didn't think of mom before. I mean, getting away for a while will be good, probably for everybody. I'll be able to clear my head and just relax and have some time with mom, and you can _go on your fishing trip_." She joked.

"Yeah, yeah, that's what I figured." Charlie played along. "Anyways, you may want to get packed. Your planes' tomorrow at seven."

* * *

"Are you sure this is what you need?" I asked. "I'm not trying to pressure you into doing anything or not doing anything, but, I just don't like the idea of you being somewhere where I won't be able to protect you."

"I know that, and, honestly, I think something like this was bound to happen. It was just a matter of time. So, you not being there… You can't blame yourself for what happened." She told me softly.

"I know that, and, I try not to. But, I just know it would have never happened had I been there. I would have been able to protect you…" I trailed off, looking down guiltily at her lime-green casted wrist and taking it gently in my open palm. "I'm so sorry Bella."

"Don't be. At least for not being able to protect me." She told me.

I waited a few seconds and looked deeply into her eyes before speaking. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"I want you to… But I just need to be with my mom for a while. And I know if you come I won't give her the time of day, as bad as that sounds, I know it's true. When you're around, all I see is you… All I want to do is be with you… I can't stay away from you when you're around…"

"Bella…" I said softly before taking a step towards her. "I love you _so much_… And I am going to miss you like crazy." I told her as I laced my fingers through the side of her hair.

"I'm going to miss you too… I love you." She told me as she leaned her head softly against my chest while I allowed my arms to wrap securely around her.

"I'm going to miss this the most." I admitted.

"What?" She wondered softly as she hugged her arms around me.

"This. Holding each other." I whispered; feeling her lips curl into a smile against me. "But you know what I might miss more?"

"What?"

"This." I told her, and bent down to press my lips to hers for the first time.

TBC


	8. Delusional

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Six: Delusional

**Jacob's POV**

"Hide you?" Paul asked skeptically. "Why in the hell would I want to do that? Why would I need to do that?"

"Because I am your Alpha and I am telling you to do it." I told him firmly as the sound of my heart beat thick against my ears. "And quite frankly Paul, I am not giving you a choice."

"Okay, okay." He said humouredly as he put his hands up in surrender. "I get that, okay? No need to get nasty. All I want to know is why you _need _to be hid."

"It's complicated." I told him.

"Humor me." Paul said.

"And if I do?" I asked him with a wicked grin.

"I'll hide you bro!" He said with annoyance. "Now just tell me what you did so bad that makes it so you have to go into hiding."

"I got hit on." I told him blandly.

"Um… Okay?" He said quizzically with a raised brow. "More please?"

"Fine. I went over to the Swan's house, to help Bella and Charlie out with something." I began. "Bella had texted me. And when I got there Bella was totally psyched to see me, after not seeing me for so long. And Charlie wasn't there when I got there like she said he was, so I thought that was kind of weird, but I was okay with it cause I hadn't seen her for so long. So we hung out for a while; talked, ate, chilled, you know, the usual. But then we went into the living room, and that's where it happened."

"Where what happened?" Paul asked.

"I'm not finished." I silenced him. "So we walk over to the couch and sit down. Only when we do Bella sits unusually close to me, but, again, after not seeing her for so long… I just went with it.

"Then she brought up her and Sam, and I was totally chill with it. She told me how they've been together for a couple months now, and she seemed really happy about that. But, then… She asked me if I was jealous. And I told her I wasn't and that I just wanted her to be happy, and was really glad that she found such a great guy like Sam.

"Then she kind of looked at me with this… I don't know strange, expression. And before I knew it she was running her hands along my legs and arms. I asked her what she was doing, and she said what she had been wanting to do ever since Edward left. Then she started kissing my neck and that's what I grabbed her hands and pulled her off of me. I told her I wasn't okay with her doing something like that to Sam, and she said what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. And I told her that was wrong, but she didn't seem to care.

"And then it got to the point where I had to play a dominant role. I held her down, and she started giggling and insisting how if I wanted it rough I should have said something, but I wasn't playing along with her games… And then Charlie walked in."

"Oh shit!"

"Yeah, oh shit is right. Daddy walks in while Jacob is holding down his daughter dearest. AKA: laying on top of her and holding her arms above her head. So he pulled out his gun and aimed it at me and told me to get the fuck off of his daughter. And I did. But that wasn't enough. Bella started crying and Charlie flipped. And I figure instead of staying and trying to explain myself and risk getting shot I'd better get the hell out of there, so I split."

"And now you're afraid that Charlie'll come after you seeking blood or something?" Paul asked me.

"Basically, yeah." I nodded.

"But, wait, dude, no. That doesn't make any sense!" He backed himself up. "Sam imprinted on Bella! Which means her pull for him is just as strong as his is for her. So why would Bella hit on you when she's so connected with Sam?"

"I don't know, I mean… Maybe Sam didn't even imprint. Think about it, he is the only one who has done it, we don't even know if the whole imprinting thing is real or not." I suggested.

"Yeah, but, even if that is true… I know Sam, you know Sam, we all know Sam, so why on earth would he lie about something like that?" He asked. "I mean, yeah, true, he is the only one who has done it. But, why should we immediately jump to the conclusion that he is lying? Because he is the only one who has done it?"

"Well why _not_ jump to the conclusion that he is lying?" I countered. "Because he _is _the only one who has done it."

* * *

"Damnit Embry! This isn't a joke." Sam squeezed his eyes and spoke seriously into the phone. "This is serious. I need to know, have you seen Jacob?"

"Maybe I have, maybe I haven't." He said with an exaggerated sigh.

"Tell. Me. Now." Sam demanded.

"What'll you give me for this, confidential, information?" He joked in an annoyingly serious voice.

"I'll let you live." He promised him. "Now, tell me… Have you seen Jacob?"

"Depends…" He sighed again. "Why do you want to know?" He asked. "I mean, does the boss know you are seeking him? Maybe he doesn't want to be contacted right now. Ever think of that?"

"Of course he doesn't want to be found!" he had enough. "Especially by me!"

"Take a Midol there Old Scout, no need to get violent." He joked again, causing Sam to huff in fury. "Why on earth wouldn't he want to be found?"

"BECAUSE HE TRIED TO RAPE BELLA AND BROKE HER WRIST!" He shouted into the phone with all his strength. "NOW TELL ME! HAVE YOU SEEN HIM!"

"Shit." His joking was over. "Are you serious bro?"

"Have you seen him?" He asked one last time.

"Oh so you're seeking his blood." Embry said quickly into the phone. "No, sorry dude, I haven't seen him. Try Quil or Pau-"

The dial tone went dead; he had hung up.

"Or Paul." Embry sighed as he pulled the phone away from his ear and leaned back low in his chair. "Fuck." He said quietly to himself. "Jacob's not the Alpha no more. Cause you can't have a dead guy as the Alpha… Damn that means we're gonna have to vote. Daaannnggg iiittt!" He whined before sinking low in his chair and letting out a fake and loud sob.

It wasn't until five seconds later that he realized what Sam had really said…

* * *

"Dude, I am telling you, he's not here." Paul insisted as he and Sam stood awkwardly in the front doorway.

"I'm sorry Paul, I really can't believe that." Sam insisted back. "I would really like to see him, so, if you don't mind pointing me in his direction I would greatly appreciate it."

"I am telling you Sam, he is not here." Paul went on. "Maybe try Jared's. Or Quil or Embry, maybe they've heard something. I'll give you a heads up if I do hear from him though."

"Look, Paul, I've already tried Quil and Embry and Jared, and I know for a fact that he is here, because when I went to Jared's he said he heard Jacob saying he was going to try hiding out here when he was in wolf form. And that was just under an hour ago, so, if you're so insistent that he's not here, surly you won't mind me looking around? It'll put my mind at ease."

Paul tapped his fingers rhythmically against the edge of the door and let out a short sigh. "Listen, Sam, I heard what happened. And I know you are pissed about Bella, but, that's not Jacob's fault she turned out like that. So if you've got a problem here she's the one you need to be talking to, not Jacob."

"So you heard what happened then?" Sam asked him with his lips in a tight line as Paul nodded briskly. "So, you heard how I got a text from Bella asking me if I could go over to her house and help her and her dad out with something. And how Jacob insisted on going instead, and how I just stood there like an idiot and let him go, even after what we were just talking about. And how by the time Charlie got home he heard his daughter begging Jacob to let her go, to get off of her, and when he walked in the door he found Jacob holding Bella down and trying to rip her pants off." He finished with as much calmness as he could. "You heard all of that?"

"Well, I, um…" Paul stammered. "I heard a different version, but now thinking about it by all means this one makes more sense."

"Did I also mention how Jacob broke her wrist?" He added.

"Um, not… Not entirely."

"So not at all."

"No, not even a little bit."

* * *

"Okay, so, he was here." Paul said quizzically as he and Sam made their way to the basement of Paul's house, after having had a long and in-depth discussion of just how delusional Jacob had become. "Dude, I'm not lying this time. This is where he was staying."

"Well, that's just perfect." Sam said sarcastically.

"He must have heard us." Paul suggested. "Where do you think he went?"

"I donno. But our best bet is to phase out, hope he has too, and go from there." Sam suggested before sliding his fingers through the top of his head. "After that-"

"Wait." Paul announced.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Did you…?"

"What?"

"Just see that?"

"See what?"

"That." Paul pointed towards a swaying jacket in the distance.

"Very smooth." Sam said softly. "Remind me again why he was ever Alpha?" He asked as the two began slowly making their way towards the trembling jacket.

"Bloodline." Paul answered him with a short breath. "Other than that…"

"…Nothing." Sam finished for him. "_Come out come out wherever you are_." Sam sang. "Come on Jakey, there's nothing to hide from. I'm not even mad, because, like you said, she came onto you, so why would I want to cause harm to you?" He wondered as the two began thoroughly scoping the place out. "After all, all you did was force yourself onto her, ignore her cries of pain, ignore her begging you to let her go and get off of her, and break her wrist.

"So, why would I want to hurt you? You did nothing wrong. Cause, again, after all, she's the one that came onto you." He went on. "So, it's Bella that I should be mad at, isn't it? Because, after all, I did lie about imprinting on her; I just wanted something so bad that I pretended it was real. So, everyone should be mad at me for lying, not at you, for trying to rape the woman I am in love with. An innocent girl, a defenseless girl, a girl who could do nothing by lie there and have nothing else to do but accept what was happening…"

"Sam." Paul interrupted him.

"Yes?"

"I'm an idiot." Paul told him shamefully.

"No, it's not your fault. We all know how convincing Jacob can be when he-"

"That's not what I am talking about." Paul cut him off once more.

"Then, wha-"

"I really need to get to know my parent's house better before I let people stay here." He told him as he dropped his head in disappointed defeat. "I didn't know there was a window there…"

"A window?" Sam repeated blankly.

"Yeah… Yeah… A window. A big, wide, oversized window that any overgrown guy can fit through with perfect ease." Paul pouted.

"That's great!" Sam said unexpectedly.

"Great? Dude, how in any way is that grea-" This time it was Sam's turn to cut him off.

"He can't have gone far, and this way we won't have to explain to your parent's why their house is in, or would have been, in ruins!" Sam exclaimed. "Come on! Now!" He commanded Paul before jumping up the wall and rushing out the window, with Paul close on his tail.

"Which way?" Paul asked as the two landed firmly on the earth outside.

"Focus, use your nose." Sam told him calmly, having nothing but total confidence in himself and the task at hand. "He hasn't phased out yet, we would know it if he had, so wherever he is he isn't far."

"Word." Paul agreed before closing his eyes to better focus on the smells and sounds around him. "Wait, do you hear that?" He added quickly.

"Yeah, I do." Sam nodded as the two looked in the direction of the main road, and all but too soon spotting Jacob's blue VW Rabbit zooming quickly in the direction of town.

"Really!" Paul complained. "He is supposed to be Alpha! And so he _speeds away in a Rabbit!_"

"Bloodline dude, nothing else." Sam reminded him. "Just because you have the blood doesn't mean you have the brains."

"Tell me about it." Paul rolled his eyes.

"Doesn't matter. One thing Jacob overlooked… In wolf form we may be able to hear his next move, but, in wolf form we'll also be able to move faster." Sam smiled. "Well spit up, get to wherever he is going faster, and with any luck we can stop him before he gets there."

And the two took off, phasing out in unison.

* * *

'_Shit, I think we overlooked how fast that little car of his was!' _Paul thought. _'Any idea where he is headed yet? Cause I have no clue.'_

'_Not any exact location, no, I can't tell. He's driving too recklessly to be able to.' _Sam thought back. _'But it looks like he's headed for Forks, near Bella's school.'_

'_What!' _Paul whined. _'Why in the hell would he be headed there?'_

'_Beats me. My only guess is so he can stay in a populated area; keep himself safe.' _

'_Fucking bloodline.'_

'_Stay focused Paul.'_

'_Sorry dude.' _He apologized.

'_Not a problem, just keep yourself focused on the task at hand.'_

'_Aye aye captain.'_

* * *

"There he… Wait." Sam said; stopping himself and Paul from moving forward.

"What can we possibly need to wait for!" Paul complained. "Dude, he is _right _there! Come on, let's go!"

"No." Sam said while lifting his hand into the air. "Do you smell that?"

"Dude, smell wha-" He cut himself off. "_Shit_."

The two looked up, and what they saw was the last thing either of them ever expected to see again...

It was a silver Volvo. And the two figures that emerged from inside were all but too familiar: a short spiky haired female that could easily be mistaken for a fairy. And a tall, bronze haired gentle-looking male.

And both of them, despite the smell, were both positively too beautiful to ever be considered human…

Edward and Alice Cullen.

TBC


	9. Jacksonville

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Seven: Jacksonville

**Bella's POV**

_Dear Diary,_

_I am in Jacksonville right now. Charlie lied and told my mom he was going on a fishing trip for the next couple of weeks, and that's why he wanted me to come here; so I wouldn't be alone. But the truth is… I am alone wherever I go. No matter how many people I may be surrounded with, I am always alone. I was never like this before, but it is amazing how one person's action can change you so drastically. How one's person's action can change your entire outlook on life. _

_My wrist is broken, but my heart is shattered. I never thought a friend, a best friend, a person you have known nearly your whole life, would be able to hurt you so badly. To scare you so incredibly deeply… To make you shudder each time you hear any kind of unexpected noise. Or cringe and tremble when you are left alone, really alone. To wonder if someone who you were so close with had the ability to do something like what he did, and wonder if other are capable of the same thing. If they are capable to hold you down and force his lips onto yours. To tell you your struggles and cries are only because you are scared of the feelings you are having for the person who is holding you down. To weep and beg for him to let you go, and have high hopes taken as he removes one of his hands from your throbbing wrists, only to instead of let you go slide his hand down the front of your jeans. To have him ignore you again and again as you tell him you love someone else, and only want to be with them…_

_I love Sam. And I told Jacob that, he knew that, but he still came onto me. He still held me down and tried convincing me that his actions were because of jealousy and love and nothing else. He broke my wrist, and I doubt if he even knows it. He was so strong, I had no idea it was possible for a person to even be that strong. To be able to hold me down so effortlessly… I just… I never knew he would be able to do something like that to me! He was my best friend, and I trusted him, I trusted him with all of me. Even after not seeing him for so long, I trusted him. And what did he do with that trust? He shattered it, shattered it to the point that it is beyond repair. _

_I was so scared, I didn't know what to do, I didn't know what to think or say. I told him to stop, to get off of me and let me go. But he never listened. He just kept holding me down and kissing me and touching me and telling me how much he cared for me, how much I cared for him. Care for him? Yes, I did care for him. But not anymore, how can I? After what he did to me?_

_I just want to be able to forget what happened, all of it. I want to forget that entire day!_

_One good thing happened to me in this entire week, and that is that Sam kissed me. For the first time, as I was getting ready to board the plane to come here. He told me he loved me, and he would miss me, and he kissed my lips. And that is the only thing I have left to hold onto, he, is the only thing I have left to hold onto. _

_I never want to make him upset with me, I never want to hurt him. But, I did something today that I know will. It was impulsive and irrational, but it made me feel better for a little while. It made me, temporarily, forget about my internal pain and focus on something else. I wasn't thinking when I did it, I just did it. _

_I had heard from other people that it helps in times of great suffering or depression. And no matter how stupid I may have thought it was when I heard them talking about it all of those years ago, how stupid I may still think it is… It helps. Cutting helps._

_I know stupid, right? I'm not so sure… Is something really that stupid when it helps you feel better? Is something really that irrational and impulsive and idiotic when you really take the time to go through with it? I don't think so. And I also know that this isn't something that I am going to make a habit of, either. I am not that dumb. The scars will be enough. I will look at them each time I am feeling sad or depressed or hurt or angry and remember how much better I felt when I made them. And maybe, then, I will feel a little better. _

_I guess it was pretty stupid, though. I mean, if I ever saw Sam do something like this, I would be in so much pain from seeing him hurt himself like that. I was stupid, and dumb. I love him with everything, but I was still able to do this to myself to make myself feel better. How selfish is that? Now, when I go home and show him, I know it will kill him. I know it will. But I am not going to try to hide it from him. I would never hide anything from him and I would never lie to him, so that would never even be an option for me. I will just tell him the truth: that I was in pain and I did something to try and ease it. And I'll tell him that it helped, but that it was stupid and irrational and that I won't ever do it again. And I will let him yell at me or ignore me or do whatever it is he needs to do to deal with it. I will even let him break up with me if that is what it comes down to, though I really hope it doesn't, I would let him. I don't want to force him to do or not do anything against his will. _

_I know I told him at the airport that I didn't want him to come (only) because of the risk of ignoring my mom because of him. But the truth is I need him, so much more than I have ever needed anyone before. I need him to hold me and tell me that he loves me. I need to feel his arms around me, and I need to smell him and hear his voice. I want to run my fingers through his hair and tell him I love him as I look deeply into his eyes. And I want to feel the side of his head lean gently against my chest as he listens to the sound of my steady heartbeat. I want to entwine my fingers with his and kiss his hands and fingers and arms… And I want to feel the palm of his warm, comforting hand cup my cheek as he tells me he'll always be there for me and that I can feel safe with him…_

_Can I feel safe with him? After… After what happened? Can I feel safe with anybody?_

I let out a steady breath of air before setting my pen down and closing the cover of my diary, which hadn't been written in (before tonight) for over four years.

It seemed so odd and silly to do; pour all of my feelings and thoughts out to a book, but it was the only place I could do it. It was the only thing that I could truly confide in without having to worry about it running off and telling anyone about what I tell it.

It was the only thing I could trust…

If I told Renee the real reason about why I was here, she would freak. And no doubt she would tell Phil, and everybody else who has ever met me or Jacob. And before too long the information was bound to find its way back to Arizona, and eventually, back to Forks. This was the last thing I wanted. But, she was my mom, and she had to know…

And so, after locking my diary in the secret compartment to my old desk, I walked out to the living room, and I found my mom.

"Hey baby." She smiled; breaking my heart for what I had to tell her. Her hair was loose and she was holding a round oversized dusty-mustard-yellow coffee mug, I could smell the familiar scent of her favorite jasmine-honey tea the moment I walked into the room, and I could almost taste it as I sat down beside her.

"Mom, there's something I have to tell you…"

TBC


	10. Lie

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Eight: Lie

**Bella's POV**

"I was at home, and Ja-"

"Oh, sorry honey," She said as her phone buzzed violently against the surface of her bamboo coffee table. Picking it up she looked down at the screen, then back up at me, "but I have to take this, I'll be just a minute, I promise!" She rushed as she bounced up from the couch, "Be right back!"

I bit my lip while plopping my back carelessly against the back of the couch. I then folded my arms tightly across my chest and let out a long sigh and whispered aloud to myself. "It's probably for the best anyways. She'd probably just freak out and ask me fifty-billion questions and cry herself to sleep… I can't believe Charlie thought it was best I came here in the first place. He knows just as well as I do how easily mom freaks out… I'll just… lie." I concluded quickly as Renee walked back into the house with a sorrowful look on her face.

"I'm sorry baby; I really had to take that call." She apologized while taking her seat back on the couch. "But now, phone's off, and I'm all yours.

"So, what'd you need to tell me?"

"Well, not really tell, more, talk about." I began my what-was-sure-to-turn-into-transparent lie. "I was at home a few days ago, and Jacob came over." I went on. "And he was telling me about his new girlfriend, an-"

"Oh Jake's got a girlfriend!" Renee beamed, "That's great! – Oh, sorry honey! Go on."

I felt horrible lying to her like this, but I'd rather see her smile falsely than cry. So I went on.

"Yeah, it is." I lied again. "And, well, he was telling me all these things about her, and how they're young adults, and how they love each other. He was talking about how great it feels to be with her… in every way…

"And I got to thinking. I'm still a virgin, but I'm eighteen and have a boyfriend of my own. And I, we, have no plans of leaving each other anytime soon, so, is there any real reason why I should still keep to the old morals and beliefs of saving myself for marriage? I mean, I always thought those beliefs were kind of ridiculous anyway. I mean, why would you wait until after you were married to give yourself fully to the one you love, I mean, if you love someone why shouldn't you show them how much? Why shouldn't you put yourself fully in their lives like they are in yours?"

"Okay," Renee said after a moments wait. "That was definitely not what I was expecting. But, at the same time, I can't say that I'm surprised."

"You can't?"

"No." She shook her head. "I mean, I was eighteen once too, and I know what it feels like to get urges like that. And I also know what it feels like to give into those urges… but I also know the consequences that can come with them."

"You mean me."

She took a moment to study me. "I was very careless when I was your age." She began. "I didn't really see the point of acting like an adult when I still had a one in front of my age. And yet I wanted nothing more than to be treated like an adult. I wanted to do what I wanted when I wanted, and I saw no reason to get in trouble for my less thought-out ideas, because I wasn't a kid anymore.

"So, one day, my parent's, having had enough, came up to me and said 'We'll start treating you like an adult when you start acting like one.' Naturally, I yelled at them and told them they were being unreasonable.

"I had been dating your father for eight months by that time, and I was, like you, still a virgin. But after my parent's told me to act like an adult I thought _what's more adult than having sex?_ So I went over to your dad's house, and knowing his parent's were out of town, we took each others virginity. Afterwards, as we were lying naked in each others arms and loo-"

"Okay, mom, skip the visual please!"

"Sorry honey. As we were _lying_ together, your father broke our silence by saying, 'I don't want to ruin this moment, but, don't you think we should have used protection?' And I laughed softly at that, because at the time I was still on about you-can't-get-pregnant-the-first-time, and said 'We'll be fine… nothing will happen.' Needless to say, a month later I was looking at baby clothes and wearing a ring on my finger."

"So," I asked, "What you're saying is I shouldn't think just because it's the first time I can't get pregnant? That I should be more careful than that?"

"No, honey, what I am saying is that I gave myself away for the wrong reasons. And, regardless of my past, I know you wouldn't make the same decision. I had sex because I was trying to prove a point to my parent's, to prove a point of how adult I was… when really it was probably the childish thing I could have done. I was stupid, I wasn't being fair to myself, and I wasn't being fair to your father.

"I did want to have sex with him, yes, but not for the reasons I did. I had always thought about sex as an act of love, and that's how I wanted to have it. But the way it happened was wrong, and stupid and petty. And we should have been more careful. And I will always regret that we didn't, but I will always love you." She smiled and placed her hand softly against my cheek. "_And_… if you want to have sex with your boyfriend, I don't see any reason why you can't. Because I know you aren't trying to prove anything to anyone.

"You have shown me, Bella, you're entire life how mature you are. And I know you're smart, and you always think things through. You aren't an impulsive person and you always think about the consequence of things before you act. And I know, because I know you, that if you want to have sex with Sam, you'll do it because you love him, not because you're trying to prove how adult you are. So if you were asking for my blessing, you have it. Just make sure you're careful."

I didn't really know what to say, and so I just sat there with a dumb smile on my face and my hands clenched together subtly in my lap.

"Well, now that that's settled, I think I'm going to get and early night sleep." Renee breathed as she pulled herself from the couch. "How about you?"

"No, I'm not really tired yet. I'll probably just watch a movie and maybe read a little later. I won't stay up too late." I promised her.

"Alright, night baby." She said softly as she kissed my forehead gingerly.

"Night mom. I love you."

"I love you too sweetheart."

As she left a giant breath of air left my lungs and my cheeks burned with the heat that I had been holding in for the past half hour.

If there were an award for best lie ever told by the worst liar to live, I would win.

* * *

"I knew you were coming." Jacob said before either Alice or Edward had time to open their mouths.

"Jacob." Alice smiled. "I want to make one thing _perfectly _clear, okay?" He nodded. "Literally, the only thing from me ripping your head off right now is that we are in such a populated area. Other than that, if I were you, I would really watch my back."

"Really! You aren't giving me a chance to explain myself." Jacob hissed.

"Explain." Edward said with underlined rage. "Explain how there is any explaining you could possibly have from either of us ripping you apart piece by piece for what you did to her. You. You sick, pathetic, foolish, weak, foul mongrel. You forced yourself onto her, ignored her cries of pain and convinced yourself it was because she loved you. You broke her wrist and fled and tried hiding. Did you really think you'd get away with that?"

"As a matter of fact I did. If it wasn't for your freaky _unnatural_ abilities I would have." Jacob retorted back with a half-ass smile; referring to Alice's visions and Edward's telepathy. "And for your information I never meant to hurt her… if she hadn't struggled so damn much and just let it happen she'd be fine." He sighed. "But you're one to talk about hurting Bella; at least I made an attempt to _do_ something with her. All you could do was make her fall in love with you. And then, once you'd had your fun with her, break her heart and then leave her alone to pick up the pieces… Yeah, you're _so_ much better than me." He finished sarcastically. "At least I got something out of it."

"You bas-!"

"Edward!" Alice cut him off; preventing his assault towards Jacob in mid-air. "Not here!" She hissed before tossing his arm back to side.

"I swear to _God_ Jacob Black, if I ever catch you alone! You know nothing about me or Bella or the circumstances of that day! So if you would wipe that smart-aleck smirk off your hideous face before-"

"Jacob." Alice cut him off again. "I think we have made our reason for coming _very _clear. So I would suggest being _very _extra-specially nice to Edward and myself, because you wouldn't want your last memory to be so very distinctively violent and painful, would you?" She asked him. "No. I didn't think so. So, if you would please wipe that smile off your face? We, Edward and I, would both appreciate it."

"Hm," Jacob wondered. "You know, Sam imprinted on your precious Bella, Edward."

"We know."

"And you don't care?" Jacob asked. "That doesn't bother you? I mean, isn't that why you're here? For her?"

"We're here to _protect_ her. From you, you _dog_." Alice spat.

"All I ever wanted was for Bella to be happy." Edward began. "And if a part of that has to do with her loving someone else, than I am fine with that. And if another part has to do with seeing you leave the picture or more specifically have you die, then I'll help out with that part myself."

"Don't you think she'll be a little distracted by the sudden _unexpected_ surprise of her ex and his sister showing back up in town?" Jacob challenged. "I mean, that would make anyone forget about anything else that's happened recently, don't you think?"

"No." Edward said smoothly.

"No?" Jacob asked.

"No. Because by the time Bella gets back from her Mothers house, we'll be gone, and you'll be dead."

* * *

Sam and Paul looked at each other, and knew without having to read each others thoughts through wolf-form that they had just made two more allies.

TBC


	11. Real

**AN: **Happy New Years!

* * *

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Nine: Real

**Edward's POV**

"You will never understand how grateful we are to you and your tribe for letting us stay here like this." I thanked Sam as we made our way down the main drive from Forks to the La Push Reservation.

"Well I would say it was no problem but we all know that would be a lie." He responded with a sigh. "It was hell to persuade the elders and everyone else to let you two come onto the Reservation, especially for such a prolonged period. But, it's done now, and I wouldn't have done it had I had even the slightest doubt in my mind it was for an unnecessary cause.

"What Jacob did to Bella is unforgivable, and to say I don't want him dead is honestly only about ten percent accurate. I was so stupid; I saw how jealous, how… how, I don't know, upset Jacob was when I told him Bella and I were together. I shouldn't have let him go to her house alone. I have known that kid since he was born, and I've always known he's been more _spontaneous _and _impulsive_ than the rest of us. I should have known he would have done something stupid. I should have never trusted him to go to Bella's house like that. It was incredibly irresponsible and I'll never forgive myself for what happened to her."

"Sam, what happened wasn't your fault." I told him. "And I am sure Bella knows that as well, she has never been one to blame others for anything.

"What happened, she knows it was no one else's fault except for Jacob's. But I also know how forgiving she is, and how close she and Jacob were as friends."

"I know," Sam agreed. "And I know how forgiving she is too. And that's what has me so worried. I keep thinking… I keep thinking that when she gets back she'll have forgiven Jacob, and he'll take that for granted as he takes everything, and that he'll try it again only this time there won't be anyone to… to stop him." He clenched onto the steering wheel with such force it bent slightly forward.

"Sam," Alice noticed this as well. "Sam, that's not going to happen, that's why we're here. We're here to make sure Jacob can never touch her again, in any way.

"It took all my strength and self control not to tear his head off earlier, but I was able to do it. And I know if I was able to control myself then you'll be able to as well. Bella, I love her and she was my best friend, but the love you two have is so much stronger than anything I have seen before. I don't even have to see both of you to know that because I see her every time I look into your eyes. And I know you would never risk anything to not be able to see her."

"I know that, and that's why I am so pissed." Sam told us as he pulled onto the gravel drive to his house. "Every part of me wants to be with her, but at the same time I want to kick the shit out of Jacob. I just want to turn him into an immobile bloody pulp!"

"But you know doing that would prevent you from seeing Bella for a very, very, long, long, long time."

"Yeah, I know… and that's why I know I could never do it. All I want is to be with her, and if I killed Jacob I would only see her through plated glass or steel bars. And besides, being apart like that, it wouldn't just hurt me but her as well… and I could never do that to her." He pulled up to a cozy looking house and slowly pulled the key from the ignition; killing the engine.

"Well, you don't have to worry about any of that." Alice went on. "After all, that's why we're here. After that, you two ca-"

"Yeah… I've been wanting to talk to you guys about that."

"About what?" Alice asked him curiously. "About killing Jacob… or… about us leaving."

He nodded.

"It's just… I know Bella would love to see you, and if she found out you two were in town but didn't stay long enough to at least say goodbye. It would just… it would kill her.

"It would make her feel like you didn't want to see her."

"We would never not want to see her Sam." Alice told him softly. "How we left, it wasn't exactly one you'd call a happy ending, but, if we stayed it would _only_ be to say goodbye. And wouldn't just staying around to say goodbye to someone hurt them more than not staying at all?"

"Is that what you'd want her to do?" Sam wondered. "If it was her who left, and it was her who came back into town… Would you want her to just leave before you even had a chance to see her?

"Or would you want her to say goodbye first?"

* * *

"Sam," I asked as the three of us entered his darkened house, "I meant to ask you earlier, how is it that you were able to allow Alice and I to come onto your land?

"From what I have heard nothing of that extremity can be allowed without first having the permission of the pack leader, and if my knowledge is correct that would be Jacob. So, how is it that you were able to bypass that without him?"

"Jacob was the pack leader. And you're right, in any other circumstance nothing of this sort would be allowed without first having consented with him. But, it has been decided by me and the rest of our pack, the elders, and nearly every other person in our tribe that Jacob no longer be responsible for the pack. So, at the moment, we are a leaderless pack.

"So needless to say, no leader, no one to consent to."

"As much as that makes me want to jump for joy, is that really even possible?" Alice asked him. "I mean, I know it is possible but is it allowed?"

"Not under normal circumstances, no." Sam told her. "If it had just been a bunch of us saying we didn't like him and didn't want him as a leader then no, it wouldn't be allowed. But it's a well known fact that if a pack leader ever crosses the line in any way, be it power or greed or in this case attempted rape, then he is in no position to be telling anyone what to do."

"So, just like that, all you had to do was vote?" She went on curiously. "And Jacob is bumped back down to mere pup?"

"In a way to relate to someone more like you two… It would be like if Carlisle were to go on a murderous rampage and start killing and devouring every human in sight. I mean, would you want someone like that to make all the decisions for you?" Sam asked as he took a seat across from us in a single brown recliner.

"I'm not saying I don't agree with you Sam, I do. It's just it seems like something to this extreme would need a higher form of filialness."

"Well, we can't exactly call him to a court date." Sam sighed. "He took off after you guys wer-" He cut himself short as he pulled his buzzing cell phone from his pocket. "Hey." His voice changed slightly as he spoke into the phone, and without asking, we both knew who had called.

"_Hey, how are you?"_ I knew it was wrong to listen into his phone call, but I really couldn't help it. And I knew he knew that as well, no matter where he was in the house I would be able to hear them. But more especially, I could hear her.

"I'm doing good." He told her as he pulled himself up from his chair and walked towards the kitchen with his back towards us. "How are you? Enjoying the sunshine?"

"_Yeah, it's great." _Without seeing her I knew she was smiling into the phone. _"But I really miss Forks… I miss you."_

"I miss you too." Sam told her with a short pause. "How is seeing your mom going?"

"_It's going… good." _She paused. _"I tired to tell her the real reason why I came here a few hours ago, but I just couldn't. She looks so happy; I would hate to kill that for her."_

"So what did you tell her?"

"_A lie. A really, really, really embarrassing one that you will never know about." _

"Well, I'll just have to take your word on it then." Sam laughed as Alice kicked my shin with the heel of her shoes and mouthed: _Stop it._

I shrugged and mouthed back: _You first._

"_Yeah, you will." _She agreed. _"Okay, I'm gonna be honest I kind of want to tell you but I know that if I do you'll be able to feel my blush radiating over the line. And besides, if I did tell you I don't know if I'd ever be able to face you again and that would really suck."_

"Okay, now I've got to know." Sam said enthusiastically. "What did you tell her?"

"_Okay, you've gotta promise me one thing first." _

"Promised."

"_Promise you won't take anything I say to heart."_

"I promise." He promised her. "Now, what did you tell her?"

"_You know it's rude to listen into peoples phone conversations." _Alice thought, distracting me from Sam and Bella.

"I… um… wow… um…" Sam said; I glared at Alice in mock frustration before deciding that it was probably for the best that I didn't know what Bella had said.

"_I know, I told you, awful. But you've got to give me some credit; I had about a quarter of a second to think of it, and I pulled it off." _She beamed. _"My mom never guessed anything different; I should get an award of some kind."_

"I'll be sure to give you one when you get back." Sam told her with a gentle smile apparent in his voice.

"_Should I be scared?" _

"Well, only if old movies, and blankets, kisses hugs and cuddles intimidate you."

"_Well, that depends, who are we talking about here?"_ Bella asked him, playfully joking. _"Quil, he's a little young for me. And Paul, oh sure he isn't too bad looking but we don't exactly have the best track record together, and Jare-"_

Sam breathed awkwardly into the phone.

"_But you… I think that might be tolerable." _

"Just tolerable?" Sam asked her softly; obviously playing along.

"_Enjoyable…"_ Both of their breaths had gone shallow, and it was obvious to anyone how deeply in love they truly were.

"Bella I miss you." Sam told her after a moment of silence.

"_I miss you."_ Bella told him. _"I want you here." _

"I want you here; I want you back in my arms."

"_That's the only place I want to be." _

"Soon." Sam breathed. "You'll be there soon Bella, I promise. And when you are, everything will be perfect. We'll be together, and you'll be safe."

"_I know."_

"I'll never let anything happen to you again Bella."

"_I know."_

"I love you."

"_I love you." _She told him. _"It hurts; it hurts to be away from you. I can hardly breathe sometimes." _

"Me too Bella." Sam whispered. "I love you so much."

"_I love you."_

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"_Okay." _

"Bye baby."

"_Bye." _

And it was at that moment. That exact moment that I realized the one thing I had been ignoring since the moment I had arrived back into Forks: I was not in love with Bella anymore, but I did love her. And I would be damned if I ever let her get hurt by anyone.

And so, I was going to kill Jacob Black.

Tonight.

TBC


	12. Goodbye

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Ten: Goodbye

**Sam's POV**

"No one knows we're here." Edward went on. "No one outside of the Quileute's, at least, and considering Jacob's situation I doubt he would have told anyone else."

"It's perfect, no one will ever know anything different." Alice added.

"Jacob, unfailingly in love with a girl, finds out she's in love with someone else, tries to rape her and gets caught in the act… its full proof."

"Okay…" I nodded. "And the letter to Bella?"

"It'll get handled." Edward sighed. "I'm the one who wrote the note to her father… the night you found her in the woods."

Without comment, I continued. "And we know where Jacob is?"

"Yes, he's in this meadow…" Alice told us. "It's surrounded in wild flowers; I've never see it bef-"

"I know where it is." Edward cut her off. "It's our… It's where Bella and I used to go together. It was our meadow. That's what she called it."

"As much as I'm not letting that bother me… why would Jacob be th- That's where we saved her."

"What?" They asked me in sync.

"A vamp with dreads was there." I explained. "We had been tracking him and a redhead for a while… we finally found him, and when we did we saw him about to kill Bella. We saved her. I guess Jake's gone there for some kind of release or solitude… a way to forgive himself, maybe."

"Wait, Bella knows about you guys?" Alice asked.

"No not exactly." I shook my head while thumbing the hood of my truck. "She just knows a group of supernaturally large wolves saved her… I haven't told her yet. I just don't want to put her into anymore danger than she needs to be, and I saw how much danger it out her in while knowing about your clan, _family_, and I don't want her to have to go through that her whole life."

"Sam, you imprinted on her… it _is_ her life." She told me earnestly.

"I know. And if it wasn't for that fact I wouldn't be doing what I am. I will protect her with my life… and that is exactly what I am doing tonight. I am risking everything for her, and that will never change. All I want is her safety… with her… I want everything perfect. And everything is. So, when I tell her… it won't be because of obligation or fear or anything else for that matter. When I tell her it will be because I know she will be safe with the knowledge and because I know she is ready to handle it.

"Besides, I already have a feeling she knows, or at least on some level knows." I added.

"How?"

"She told me about this dream she had once. About Edward coming to my house and us getting into a fight to the death… and about me transforming into a giant black wolf."

"Hm," Alice wondered. "Who won?"

… "Time to go."

* * *

"Jacob."

We had agreed to let Edward do it. Alice and I simply sat behind a bundle of trees and bushes, waiting out if we were needed or if Jacob were to somehow become out-of-hand.

"You're here." He said as he looked up from the pile of shredded grass and flowers in his lap. "I wondered how long it would take you to find me.

"I must admit though, you came later than I expected." He noted as he stood from his nest, wiping his hands on his jeans.

"Time is irrelevant; this will be over soon enough." Edward sighed.

"For you." Jacob told him calmly.

"Did it make you feel good?" Edward asked in a statement as they began circling each other. "Overpowering her like that? Did it make you feel like a man? Did it make you feel strong? Or wanted or desired?" He went on. "No. No of course it didn't. To feel like a man all you have to do is take off your shirt, or work on cars or ride your motorcycle. Why would you need to overpower her like that?

"What did it make you feel, Jacob? Did it make you feel loved or something? Did it make you feel like maybe, for the few minutes that you were on her, that she wanted you too?"

"You have no idea what happened."

"Yeah see actually I do." Edward corrected him. "Because Alice over there, she sometimes sees things, and she saw the whole thing. And then there's me, I can read peoples thoughts, and a part of reading is seeing. So Alice and I -in a way- had first row tickets to your sick little show."

"If you saw then why didn't you stop me?"

At that Edward's hand was gripped tightly around Jacob's throat. None of us, except Alice, maybe, were able to see him even move to get where he was now. "What do you think we're doing here now, Jacob?" He asked menacingly. "You may think you're this big, strong, tough, intimidating person, when all I have to do is move a finger, and you're dead."

"Okay," Jacob coughed. "I didn't see that coming."

"I did…" Alice whispered to herself.

"But luckily, for me, that is, I have other things planned for you." Edward told him. "I'm going to make you feel how you made Bella feel.

"First, this." And with a swift motion of his free arm, Jacob was screaming, and his arm was broken.

"And second… Goodbye, Jacob." His free arm moved swiftly around Jacob's head and twisted faster than my eyes could see. I blinked, and Jacob's body was limp and motionless on the ground… dead.

Edward brushed passed us. "Bella wouldn't want him to suffer." Knowing what we both were wondering… _why had it ended so quickly? _But already knowing the answer without him having to tell us.

Alice and I exchanged glances towards Jacob's body, and we were gone. Edward would be the one to dispose of the body, but first we had to make sure Bella would be alright. _I_, had to be sure she would be alright.

* * *

_Bella, _We watched as he began quickly writing in perfect Jacob-Script,

_I am so sorry for what I did to you, I can't live with myself. I won't do anything rash, don't worry. But I've got a lot of searching to do, for me. I don't know if I'll come back. But I couldn't leave without apologizing to you… without telling you how sorry I am. I wish I could have apologized to you in person, so I could at least say goodbye to you and see you one last time…_

_Goodbye Bella._

_-Jacob_

He handed me the note.

TBC


	13. Home

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Eleven: Home

**Bella's POV**

"Bells, before we get home there's something I've gotta tell you." Charlie said wryly. "It's about Jake…"

"What about him?" I asked as my heart took a stand-still in my chest. "Is he okay?"

"Well, that's the thing, I don't know. No one does." He admitted. "No one has seen him for almost two weeks. I talked to Billy, not just as an officer but as a friend, and he told me the last time he saw Jacob was the day before you left for Florida. I talked to everybody else that I could think of as well too, and no one has seen him; heard from him either. He didn't leave anyone any notes or messages or even talk about leaving. He's just… I'm sure we'll find him."

"Hasn't he… he hasn't even called anybody?" I asked.

"No, he hasn't. But I'm sure he'll turn up eventually. He probably was just upset with himself, and he had every reason to be. I know he's just a kid but after doing something like what he did to- what he tried to do to you… I'm sure he just needs some time to find himself, give himself time to be able to forgive himself, and other to forgive him, before he confronts anybody again." He went on as we pulled up to our house. "I'm sure he's fine." He offered before killing the engine.

"Yeah," I forced. "Yeah, me too."

* * *

As I walked into the house the first thing my eyes were drawn to was the couch…

_Jacob! Stop! Stop it! I don't love you!_

"Do you need any help taking your stuff upstairs?" Charlie asked from behind.

_I love Sam! Sam is the one I am with, he's the one I want! He's the only one I want!_

"No, I got it, thanks."

_Get off of me! _

"Alright, well, once you get your stuff put away, do you want to go out and get something to eat?" He asked. "After you get settled I mean. I figure jetlag and all you don't feel much up to cooking, and I'm sure you don't feel up to eating mine."

_Ow, ouch, Jake, you're hurting me! Please don't do this! Please!_

"Yeah, that sounds great."

_Please stop!_

"Okay then… I'll just be down here. Come get me when you're ready."

_Get the fuck off of my daughter._

"Kay."

* * *

_Bella, _The note had been lying across the end of my bed; waiting for me,

_I am so sorry for what I did to you, I can't live with myself. I won't do anything rash, don't worry. But I've got a lot of searching to do, for me. I don't know if I'll come back. But I couldn't leave without apologizing to you… without telling you how sorry I am. I wish I could have apologized to you in person, so I could at least say goodbye to you and see you one last time…_

_Goodbye Bella._

_-Jacob_

I dropped to my bed with a heavy heart and the note went fluttering to the ground.

Jacob, he wouldn't do that… would he? He wouldn't just leave like this… note or not, why would he only tell me? This isn't right. I mean, wouldn't he have called. He wouldn't have even had to say anything, just called to hear my voice again. I've known Jacob my whole life, and he wouldn't just leave me like that…

_But he tried to rape you…_ A voice sounded inside of me.

But he didn't…

_Be he tried - Charlie was the only thing that stopped him_…

He would have stopped, Charlie coming home was a coincidence; bad timing… Jacob would have never gone through with it.

_Wouldn't he have? – Was him ignoring your cries him changing his mind? – Would he have stopped if he saw you really didn't want it?_

Yes, I know him, he wouldn't have done it.

_Do you really know him?_

Do I?

"Hey Bells, you alright up there?" I jumped at Charlie's voice. "You've been up there a while kiddo, you sure you feel like going out tonight?"

"Yeah!" I called down to him. "Yeah, I just lost track of time I guess; I've been putting my stuff away!" I lied as I looked over at my untouched baggage laying a strewn on the floor.

"Do you need a few more minutes then?" He asked.

"Um…" I thought, "No, no, we can go now, I'll finish this up later. I'm starving!"

"Same here." Charlie sighed as I bounded down the stairs. "Where do you feel like eating?"

"Aren't we just going to the usual?" I asked him.

"We'll I hadn't planned on it, this is kind of a welcome home deal, we can go wherever."

"Okay… um… Olive Garden?"

"Sounds good, do you want me to drop you off at Sam's after?" He wondered. "I figure you two would want to see each other."

I beamed.

TBC

* * *

**AN: **Okay, I know my chapters have been short! Well, these past two, anyways, and I am sorry! But I promise that the next ones will be **much** more substantial!

**Next chapter questions:**

1) Will Bella tell Sam about her cutting herself? - Will Sam understand; how will he react?

2) Will Alice and Edward still be in town? - Will Edward be able to really believe he is truly no longer in love with Bella?

3) Will Sam be able to follow through, and keep the secret of Jacob's death?

Tell me your thoughts!

xoxo - BellaDiggory


	14. Staying

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Twelve: Staying

**Bella's POV**

"Bella," Sam breathed as he pulled me into his arms and chest, "I'm so happy you're home; I missed you so much."

"I missed you too." I whispered while snaking my arms around him. "It was so hard being away from you."

"I know, but you're back now, and I can finally do this again." He told me before pressing his lips tenderly to mine. "I love you Bella." He said before kissing me again.

"I love you." I cooed breathlessly before reaching my lips up to his. "Why'd we wait so long to do this?" I wondered as our eyes closed in sync.

"I donno," He shook his head before resting our foreheads gingerly together. "I guess we were too focused on just being together."

"Yeah, that can be kind of distracting." I told him as we pulled our arms from each other and linked our fingers together.

"Yeah… But you're here now, and we can kiss all you want. But before that, I have a surprise for you. Come inside." He told me with a heartfelt smile before leading me towards his house, which was darkened other than a few lights that glowed a gentle yellow through the curtained windows.

"I know this is trite," He laughed softly after we had entered his heated house. "But can you close your eyes for a minute?" I looked at him skeptically but did it anyways.

"Okay," He said as he placed his hand –which had dropped several degrees- onto my shoulder no longer than a few seconds later. "You can open them." As I opened my eyes I thought how odd it was that he sounded so far away, yet his hand was resting softly on my shoulder.

"Wh- Alice!" I burst before wrapping my arms around her pixie shoulders. "What are you doing here!"

"Well, we," She corrected while turning her head back towards Edward. "And we thought we'd surprise you!" She smiled as Edward came to join us. "We came back to town to get some things from the house that Carlisle had forgotten. And I of course may have left a pair of designer jeans or two, and they have been missed. But we thought we'd come and see you before we left, but when we did Sam told us you were in Florida, and we figured it would be better to stick around and wait for you to get back rather than to just leave."

"So, you're not staying?" I asked. "And, wait… hold on, how are you allowed on the Reservation? I mean, the treaty, was it-?"

"No." She shook her head. "It wasn't lifted or anything. But nor was it exactly easy to pull off. But there would be no way your dad would ever let Edward in your house, and if we had stayed at our old house you would have never known to come, and Sam wouldn't have been able to know to tell you either. And after careful deliberation it was decided it would be best if we stayed at a place we would be _supervised_ in, if anywhere at all." She shook her head. "So, here we are."

"Yeah, to say goodbye finally?" I asked a bit bitterly. "Looks, guys, I'm sorry. It is great to see you, both of you, but seeing how you guys left before… sticking around to say goodbye after abandoning me, it just seems so… redundant."

"First of all, the whole abandoning thing, you can blame that one on our dear sweet little Edward. And yeah, I know it's redundant, but I missed you Bella. Regardless that we can't stay, we still wan-"

"You mean can't or won't?" I asked while biting my lip softly and pulling my arms up and crossing them over my chest.

She didn't answer me. Instead she just looked from me to the floor, and then to Edward, who looked back, and then to the floor, and me again. Edward was already looking at me with his usual pain-struck eyes.

"I miss you too Alice. And it was great seeing you." I said softly. "I'm glad you finally said goodbye at least." I told them while exchanging my glance from Alice to Edward.

"Bella, we'll… be right back." Alice said before pulling Edward along with her to the back room they had assumedly come from.

"I thought you'd like seeing them." Sam told me gently as he walked over to me and wrapped his arms lightly around my hips and kissed the top of my head softly.

"I do." I told him while placing my hands onto his chest. "Don't think I don't. It's just hard, knowing they're only here to say goodbye. But it's great seeing them; I just wish they were staying.

"I mean, do they even really have a legitimate reason they can't? They have a house here, and a life they left behind which could easily be picked up again… not forever, I know, but for a little while. And it's not just them I miss, I miss them all. Jasper and Emmett, Esme, Carlisle, I even miss Rosalie. I know I'm with you now, I wouldn't change that for the world." I told him while stretching my arms up and resting my hands around his neck. "But they sort of became my family, and then they just left.

"So seeing them go, it's hard."

"I know Bella." He whispered as he reached his hand up and cupped it around the back of my head. "And I love you, and I understand. I am here for you for anything; you don't have to go through anything alone. I'll never hurt you…" He trailed off as he leaned down slowly towards me and kissed my lips softly.

"I believe you." I whispered back to him as I wound my fingers through his hair.

We looked deeply into each others eyes for what seemed like eternity, which was probably only a few seconds, before kissing again. My body arched to his as he pulled his arm up my back and rested it in the mid of my back and pulled me strongly into him; his other hand lacing its fingers through my hair as our lips crashed harder into each other.

'_I missed you so much Sam,'_ I thought silently to myself as I tightened my hands around his head. _'I missed you… don't stop kissing me. Never stop, please keep kissing me Sam. Sam… Sam… Sam, I love you. You're body is so perfect against mine, your arms are so warm…'_

I had forgotten we weren't alone, and as Alice and Edward walked back into the room we pulled reluctantly apart. Alice was smiling, Edward wasn't.

"I guess I'll give you guys some time to catch up." Sam said, trying to keep his breathing and words steady as he left while sliding his hand unwillingly from mine. I wanted to go with him; _God knows _I wanted to go with him. But I hadn't seen my friends in months, so surly a few minutes from Sam would be alright…

I watched as he walked breathlessly up the stairs and to his room.

There was silence, and I had enough of Alice's staring.

"Okay, I get it, you saw us kissing!" I said awkwardly, "You can stop looking at me like that now Alice…"

"We just, we thought you might be happy too." She said mischievously.

"What?" _What?_

I was confused.

"We're staying!" She sang. "I know what we said earlier, about not being able to, but truth be told. We all miss it here, all of us. And we'd love to come back."

"Bella can you step outside with me for a minute please?" Edward spoke at last. "It won't take more than a minute, I promise."

"Okay."

* * *

"I know that Alice said we could stay, but I don't know if I can." He said bluntly. "The reason we left in the first place was because of, well, I'm sure you know…" I nodded slowly and said _yeah_. "And seeing that you're safe now, it's not an-"

"Edward." I cut him off.

"Yes?"

"Can you please just… stop bullshitting me and tell me what you want to?"

He let out a breath and looked at me longingly.

"I love you." He told me. "I mean, I thought I didn't anymore. I didn't think I was still in love with you, but seeing you again… it's become all too apparent to me of my feelings for you. And being here again, and seeing you with Sam and kissing him the way you did…" He trailed off.

"What did you expect?" I asked him hoarsely. "Did you expect to just come back and things would be the way they were?

"You left, Edward. You left Forks; you left everything… you left me. In the woods, of all places.

"And I, I'm sorry but I can't say I love you anymore. I did, but not still. I love Sam now, and that's not going to change, I don't think it could even if I wanted it to."

"Bella, please don't-"

"Maybe I'm being selfish, but is it too much to ask for you to at least _try_ and stick around?" I wondered. "For me? I miss you. I miss Alice and Jasper and everybody, I even miss Rosalie! You guys, you became a part of me, a part of my life. And if they all came back and you didn't, it just, it wouldn't be the same without you. I mean, you are the reason I met any of them at all. We were friends before we fell in love, do you remember that?"

"Of course I do." He said solemnly while looking down at the wooden porch.

"And, if you really love me the way you say you do, then wouldn't it be better to be my friend than not have me in your life at all?" I asked while stepping closer towards him and forcing his eyes to look at me.

"Not having you in my life would be hell Bella." He whispered softly.

"So you'll stay?" I asked him with hopeful eyes, and he pulled his arms around me and held me for a moment before whispering: _yes_.

* * *

"There's something I wanted to talk to you about." I said as I sat upright in Sam's bed later that night, as he laid down with the side of his head resting against his fist as he looked over at me. "About Jacob."

Alice and Edward had gone back to the old house, and we were alone.

"You heard how he's-"

"My dad told me, yeah." I nodded. "But I also found a note he left me, on my bed. It was really weird, I mean, he wouldn't just do that, disappear like he did. Regardless of the situation, he wouldn't just bale like that.

"And then, I come here and you say you have a surprise for me, and it turns out to be Alice and Edward. Who say when they got here I was in Florida, and in the time period Jacob vanishes."

"What he did, Bella, doing something like that it really affects a per…" He trailed off as I looked over at him with begging eyes, and then pushed himself to a sitting position with his feet hanging from the side of the bed. He let out a sigh before speaking again, but when he did I didn't really let him. Because I cut him off.

"Did they kill him, Sam?" I asked softly. "Did they… Is Jacob dead? That letter... Edward..."

He didn't have to answer, his eyes told me everything. "Bella, please, _please_ don't hate me. You have to understand, and firstly, I didn't do it.

"What Jacob did to you, not just the part about trying to rape you, but him breaking your wrist? You can't understand how easily that could have been your neck; you don't understand how easily he could have killed you, Bella. I never wanted him killed, I promise you, but I would rather loose him than you.

"You are everything to me Bella, and I knew you would figure it out on your own, you don't miss much. But even if you didn't I would have told you."

"What he did was wrong, I know, I'm the one he did it to." I began with tears burning the back of my eyes and impeding my stable voice. "But did it really… I need to…" I cut myself off as I stood from his bed and marched quickly to his bathroom, where I then collapsed to the floor in a limp heap and began pouring my eyes out in loud sobs.

"Bella," I heard him whisper through the bathroom door and over my wailing. "I'm so, so, sorry." His soothing made me cry harder, and I clenched my fists and pounded them harshly into my knees.

"I love you Bella," He went on sadly. "Please don't be angry with me… We were only trying to protect you."

* * *

As I opened the door I was still sitting hazily on the ground with clouded over eyes and few falling tears, and I looked out to see him sitting with his head leaning against the wall. But when he saw me, he lifted it from the wall and slid slowly towards me. He brushed the palm of his hand along my cheek and I leaned into it.

"I'm not okay." I croaked. "But I forgive you… and I only ask that you do the same thing. You don't have to, but I ask you to." At that he pulled his eyebrows together and looked at me with confused curiosity as I began unzipping my sweater. And stupid and necessary as it was to wear a long-sleeved shirt under, I gripped my fingers around the bottom hem of it, and pulled it up over my head, leaving myself clad in nothing more than my navy jeans, white socks, and black bra.

He was still confused at first, wondering, I guessed, why I had stripped half my clothes off. But as he examined my naked flesh, his expression changed from confused to understanding, and shock and worry as he saw my battered arm.

"I don't have to forgive you Bella," He said softly and hoarsely. "Because there's nothing to forgive; there is nothing for you to be sorry for…

"Just let me hold you in my arms and tell you that I love you, and promise me you won't ever hurt yourself like that again."

I nodded my head shakily as he wrapped his arms around me. And I placed my hands softly onto his shoulders as he pulled me into his lap, "I love you." He whispered, and that's when I lost it again, and he held me tighter and kept cooing me gently with: _Shh, shh – I'm here, I'm here…_

He had carried me over to his bed and laid me down gently before coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around me and holding me tightly against his chest. And he just kept telling me how much he loved me, and how he would always be there for me, until I drifted peacefully to sleep in his arms.

TBC

* * *

**AN:** Yay for keeping promises! I be you all like this length better, huh? To tell the truth, I do too! I hate writing short chapters... Until next Thursday! :D


	15. Jake

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Thirteen: Jake

**Bella's POV**

The note crinkled under my ear as a cool breeze filtered in from the window. I opened my eyes to read it, thinking I was still in Sam's bed, and saw I was in my own:

_You looked so peaceful last night, I couldn't wake you.  
I didn't want you to get in trouble for not getting home.  
I'll call you around noon.  
I love you._

_-Sam_

_P.S. I still hope things will be alright between us after  
last night, after what happened, what I did, what you did…  
Just know I love you, and with me, nothing has changed.  
You're still my Bella._

"You're still my Sam." I whispered to myself before setting the letter in my lap and looking out the window and the rising sun, thinking about last night, and wondering what some things Sam had said meant. _Truly_ meant.

He had said how easily Jacob had broken my wrist (I thought as I looked down at my casted wrist), and how easily it could have been my neck. And how by… by… by _killing _Jacob it would be protecting me. But Jacob wasn't dangerous, he was never dangerous. What he did was just a mistake, I mean; he couldn't have really meant it. And if he had… if Charlie hadn't walked in when he did, if he hadn't gotten home when he did… Jacob would, if he were alive, feel terrible for what he had done. I knew it, with all of me, I knew it. He would spend the rest of his life guilting himself, and trying to make it up to me. Trying to make it better…

Even if I wouldn't want him to… he would have tried.

He wouldn't have given up.

But he's dead now, so it doesn't even matter.

I looked away from my window and back to the letter resting noiselessly in my lap and picked it back up, and just by reading it I could tell what kind of mood he had been in writing it. Not by the words themselves, or their meaning for that matter, but by the shape of the letters. They were gentle and light, as if he had slowly written them. They were caressed along the paper with ease and care, he had not been rushing it or been in any kind of hurry to finish it.

But Jacob's letter… it had been as if he were expecting it be to the last time he'd be able to commune anything with me. The letters were so deeply engraved into the paper it was seemed nearly impossible that they had not sliced through it; making small holes throughout it. And it had been rushed, what he had written in it… it just didn't sound at all like anything he would have said to me had it been in person or over the phone, or even an email, for that matter.

And why had he said he had to leave, anyway? Wouldn't he have, like I wondered earlier, wanted to try and make it up to me? Beg for my forgiveness, shun himself from my presence, buy me back… pester me until I forgave him? Wouldn't he have done those things? It wasn't in his character to run away from things, ever. Ever since I met him, back in the baby days, he had always been competitive. Always been the one who had to win, and always stuck around, however sorely, when he came out the loser. And when he made mistakes, he tried to fix them…

No…

Jacob can't have written that letter, he simply can't have. He had said he wished he could have stuck around to at least seen me one more time, so why didn't he? What was stopping him from waiting until I came back from Jacksonville to say goodbye to me? To apologize to me…

I ripped my covers away from my body and shot over to my dresser with straight determination. I pulled open my top drawer and looked over his letter to me again and again, trying to find a hidden meaning in it. I read between the lines and flipped it over and over and tried to see if he had written anything secretly anywhere else. In smaller handwriting perhaps? But no. Nothing.

I was frustrated as I rested my casted arm against the top of my dresser and closed my eyes; still holding the letter securely in my hand. _What am I missing? _I knew there was something, something I wasn't seeing… yet something I knew that was there; hidden, disguised. Something I was – not – seeing.

And then it hit me, I had been so shaken and upset; I hadn't even taken to heart what anyone had been saying that night. Not to me, let alone to each other. I hadn't even wondered beforehand how Sam had found me that night, how he had even known where to look…

A letter. Charlie had said something about a letter; a note that he had found. A note that I had left him. But, I don't remember writing anything that day. I hadn't even been home that day; accept for in the morning before I left to school. Because when I got back Edward was there, he had asked to talk to me in the… woods…

_Edward_.

He wrote that note to Charlie, knowing I wouldn't be stable enough to go back home… knowing I would stay in the woods. Knowing people would go looking for me… knowing they would have no idea where to look… knowing that they wouldn't have found me at all that night… if he had not written a note…

He knew it then, he knew me then so he would know what I would say. How I would sound, even however briefly. And he knew my handwriting… he saw it everyday. And being over a century old of course he would be able to forge my handwriting; forge anybody's… but not pretend to be them.

He knew Jacob's handwriting but he didn't know Jacob. He didn't know how he spoke or how he acted away from him, regardless of how many times he went into his mind.

Jacob hadn't written the letter to me at all. It had been Edward who had done it, and if I wasn't very much mistaken, it had been either him or Sam who had planted it in my bedroom, hoping it would throw me off. The letter itself though… it must have been written after Jacob was already dead…

And that's why he was unable to wait around to say goodbye to me! And why he seemed so rush- Oh, what does it even matter? Jacob's dead… what difference does it make who wrote (or didn't write) the letter. None, none at all. Solving the mystery of an odd sounding letter isn't going to bring him back. And even if it could… what world of good would that do? Having your once-was best friend back who tried to rape you. Oh, what great joy that would bring me and all around me!

But still, to be able to see him again, if only just once, or hear his voice…

I crinkled the illegitimate letter beneath the palm of my hand into a tight ball and tossed it to my recycling can -missing by only about five feet to the right- and then trudged tiredly back over to my bed. I plopped down and looked over at my nightstand table, where there rested an old lamp, my cell phone and completely and utterly white out-of-date iPod.

I slid the tip of my tongue through the tight line between my lips and looked curiously at my charging cell… hear his voice… if no one else knew he was dead… then maybe…

I extended a shaky hand over and picked up my cell phone; pulling the charging cord from it and dropping it softly onto the table, and bringing it slowly into my lap.

I don't know how long I had been looking down at his name from my contacts list, but by the time I finally had the courage to press the _send _button and bring the earpiece to my ear, the sun had nearly risen all the way as my room was now much brighter, and my eyes were burning from both tiredness and neglect from my neglect to blink them.

It never rang. His phone must have been dead by now…

'_Hey, it's Jake. Sorry I missed you, just leave me a message and I'll get back to you.'_

My breathing picked up as I finally accepted the truth of what had happened.

I pulled my phone away from my ear, hit _end_ and then _send_ in nearly the same second, and listened to it again…

And again…

And again…

I was sobbing. Silently sobbing… _he was never coming back_…

And it was my fault.

TBC


	16. Answers

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Fourteen: Answers

**Edward's POV**

"If she's asleep… I can see she's well attended to." I finished as I began making my way to her door, after having seen enough of Sam cuddling with her for the rest of my eternity.

"No," He told me softly. "I mean, I think you should stay. Last night was really hard for her, and I think she'll want answers. Answers that I can't give her. You were the only one who was able to see inside Jacob's head before you killed him, and I think it may help her to understand better why we had to do what we did.

"When I came in here her cell phone was cradled in her hand, and when I picked it up it was open to her recent calls… she called Jacob's phone eleven times before my five missed calls." He finished as he took his eyes from his sleeping beauty to me.

I hesitated before making up my mind to stay; my eyes landing on and reading a note Sam had written her before making my way over to her rocking chair, and taking a silent seat across from them.

"How long do you suppose she's been asleep?" I wondered softly.

"I don't know…" He sighed. "She must have fallen asleep at my house around three or four and I brought her back here at about six. The last call she made to Jacob was made at 7:39, we can only guess how long it was after that that she fell back asleep. And I got here around 2:17."

"And it's almost six now." I ended for him. "She must be really tired."

"Yeah, well, she probably hasn't been sleeping too well. And when I first got here I thought she was going to wake up, but she just ended up curling against me and drifting back off before she even had a chance to open her eyes to look at me… she always sleeps well when I'm with her."

"That might be my fault." I told him.

"What?" He wondered curiously.

"Before when… before I left, I used to sneak into her room every night and I'd hold her as she slept. I guess she never broke the habit of needing it. But knowing how much warmer you are than myself, it probably feels better to her. She certainly looks more content with you than she ever did me." At this, Sam pulled her slightly closer to his chest and looked down at her; she was truly beautiful when she slept.

"I know you two have a history," He began. "And I also know this must be hard for you, to see us like this.

"But thank you for staying around, for her. I know it means a lot to her."

I merely nodded before busying my eyes and attention to something else. Though it was hard to drown out the soft pecking sounds of kisses he planted on her forehead with empty silence; remembering how it felt to be where he was, with her in my arms and not his… I read the titles and authors of books neatly organized along her bookcase, and made myself preoccupied from it.

* * *

A sudden breath indicated that Bella had awoken, and I found myself stiffening in her chair; it was hard enough seeing Sam coddling her as she slept and I had pushed the thought out of my mind of how much more uncomfortable it would be to see her coddle him back. But as I saw her blink her eyes awake I knew it would be more than impossible to ignore what would be right in front of me, and thinking she may lay off for a while if she saw I was there, I stood up and walked towards the two of them and took a seat at the foot of the bed.

"Edward," I had expected her to recognize Sam first, but it was me who she looked towards. "What are you doing here?" The hostility in her voice was stabbing.

"I know that given the circumstances I am probably the last person on earth you want to see right now. But I thought that you might give me the chance to explain to you what I did, what we all decided to do, was for the best.

"I know you and Jacob were very close friends, but there were things about him Bella that you couldn't have understood; things you didn't know. As I am sure there are things about you that he didn't know about either… But Jacob, he wasn't at all who you thought he was.

"And, to fully express what I am trying to say right now, Sam, I am going to need your help." I said as I addressed Sam. "I think it's time you tell Bella the truth."

"What – What truth?" Bella asked the two of us before looking over at Sam.

"Jacob was…" He hesitated. "Bella, there is something I need to show you. Please don't be scared, please just… please trust me." And at that Sam stood from the bed and began pulling his shirt up over his head, and then began fiddling and opening his belt.

"Sam, what are you-"

"Bella," He said as he stepped forward and cupped his hand softly against her cheek. "Trust me."

She nodded slowly, and he pulled his hand away.

Sam walked backwards from the bed wearing nothing more than his deep red boxers, and giving Bella one last look, he closed his eyes. I knew what was to come, but as Sam transformed into his bear-sized black wolf Bella let out a gasp and covered what was sure to be a scream with her hand, and gripped tightly onto the blankets around her with her free hand. In comforting, I placed my hand over hers and squeezed it and whispered that it was alright.

More sooner than I had hoped for, her hand slid from under mine and her hand opposite slid away from her lips and landed gracefully into her lap.

"Sam?" She asked softly, and Sam the wolf, closed his eyes for a long moment before opening them up again to look at her.

Bella, clearly awestruck, slowly pulled the blankets away from her lap and dropped her feet over the side of the bed, all the while keeping her eyes on the floor beneath her. She then very slowly and very carefully pushed off from the bed and stood motionless for a moment before gathering the will to walk towards the giant wolf engulfing a quarter of the space of her bedroom. Her breathing was slow and even as she did so.

"He says it's alright Bella," I told her for him. "He won't hurt you; it's still your Sam, he just looks a little different."

She extended a slightly shaky hand towards him and ran it along the side of his neck and rubbed his fur softly. "That feels good."

A long breath which she had been holding in escaped through her mouth as her shoulders slumped to relax, and she brought up her opposite hand and placed it on the other side of his neck and looked carefully up at his face. "Same eyes." She said to him.

"I'm still me. Just bigger and hairier." And she laughed softly as he rubbed his head against the side of her head to nuzzle her. "I love you."

"I love you too." She whispered to him.

"I'm going to change back now." I translated for her. "But you may want to look away; I usually don't transform wearing clothes, as you can see why…" And his big black head motioned to his pair of now shredded and torn boxers lying a strewn on the floor besides them.

"Oh, yeah… go ahead, I won't look." And she turned away to face me, and thinking our eyes would meet; she slid her hands into her pockets and looked at her bed between us.

Sam, now back in his black jeans but still shirtless, wrapped his arms around Bella from behind, and she slid her arms over his and smiled with her eyes closed while turning her head to the side and leaning it against him.

"That's why I'm so warm." He told her after a moment of awkward (for me) silence.

"What?" She asked him as she turned her body to face him; his arms still around her.

"The wolf, it's why I'm so warm. I have so much more blood pumping through me now that it just keeps me warm." Bella didn't really have anything to say to that, she just kept looking up at him, and he down at her.

"Jacob was the alpha." I spoke after a moment. "And the power it gave him changed him. He just wasn't the same person as he was when you knew him before.

"When Alice and I first got into town we spoke with Jacob, and the things he was saying… he just wasn't him anymore, Bella. And that's what you have to understand. He told us that he never meant to hurt you, and that he wouldn't have if you had just relaxed and let it happen.

"He brought up my leaving, and said that I thought I was so much better than him. He said at least he tired to do something with you, and how he at least got something out of you.

"Bella, if I still know you like I knew you before then I know you blame yourself for what happened, but please believe me, it was not your fault.

"Jacob would not have stopped; the only thing that did stop him was your father getting home. And if that hadn't happened Bella, if Charlie hadn't came home when he did, Jacob would have raped you, and he wouldn't have stopped, no matter how much you begged him to.

"All he was thinking about while Alice and I talked with him was about trying again, Bella. And in the meadow, before I-"

"Killed him." She finished for me.

"Yes, before I killed him, that's all he was thinking about again. Was you, and was raping you. Not making love to you, not tenderly showing love to you, but was raping you. And to be honest I think that is what made it so easy for me, was the fact the he was distracted."

"No." She shook her head and swallowed hard. "No, I mean… no, there must be some mistake. There's no way, Jacob would never-" Sam tightened his arms around her.

"He wasn't the same Jacob you knew Bella… that Jacob was dead before I killed him."

"Bella," Sam whispered to her as she dug her fingernails into his forearm; a way to prevent the tears, "All Jacob wanted to do was hurt you, and I couldn't… I couldn't let him do that. And knowing that's all he wanted to do to you…

"I know it was rash Bella, I know that, but he was a danger to you to be kept alive. I can't live not knowing you aren't safe, your safety is everything to me Bella. I love you so much, and I'll never let you get hurt again."

"Can we just… can we just not talk about this anymore?" She asked him through strained sobs. "Please? Can we just… can we just… can…"

Though she was already in his arms, she collapsed against him and cried harder than I had ever seen her cry. And as much as it set an alarm off inside of me to hold her, I stood back and let Sam do it for me.

And unnoticeably, I left.

TBC

* * *

**AN:** Well, the wolfs out of the bag :P  
I hope you guys liked the update! Next one will be a sort of Valentines-Special, though it may be a few days late. I'll let you all consider that for a little bit… *wink*


	17. Everything

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Fifteen: Everything

**Sam's POV**

"Will Billy ever know?" She asked me softly. "I mean, will someone tell him that Jacob's… about Jacob."

I took a moment to think before responding. "What Billy knows it no more than anyone else who doesn't know what really happened, he thinks that Jacob just took off. He doesn't know why, but he knows Jacob was acting strangely before so he really has no reason to think otherwise. And I think that, maybe, overtime, after Jacob never comes back, he'll just figure it out on his own.

"If he knew what really happened Bella… it would kill him more than just thinking he had died. Knowing that the Cullen's were involved, and that I was involved, and that the only reason it happened was because of what he tried doing to you… what he could have done to you… what he _did _do to you.

"Being a wolf, it gives us strength far more superior next to regular humans… he could have killed you Bella. I know it would have been an accident, but you don't know how easily it is to forget about that strength when other emotions take over. And so," I told her as I took her casted wrist into my hand, "This? It is nothing compared to what could have happened. How easily it could have been your leg, or your shoulder or elbow or hip… your neck.

"When I saw you there, lying on the couch, not talking, after I got there after getting Charlie's phone call… you have no idea how scared I was Bella.

"When I think of you in any kind of pain or danger it terrifies me.

"And please believe me when I tell you, if it had been up to me, only me, I would have sufficed with just beating his ass and forcing him to spend a month or two in the hospital. But, I know in the end he wouldn't have learned anything. He…

"He just wasn't him anymore, Bella. And I don't mean that in a sarcastic or mediocre way, he truly wasn't him anymore.

"He told Paul that you had come onto him, and that you were the one who tried to force yourself onto him. He told him that the only reason your wrist got hurt was because he had to force you away from him.

"He was so overcome with jealousy and anger that he took it all out on you; he wanted to believe so badly that you wanted him that even after seeing that you didn't he tried to convince others, along with himself, that you did. All he cared about was getting what he wanted; he didn't care who he hurt or what lies he had to tell or what he had to do to get it. All he cared about was getting it, or more specifically, getting you."

"He said that?" She asked me after a moment of silence. "I mean, he actually told Paul that? That _I_ came onto _him_? That's not… Jacob was so…

"He was perfect before it happened. He was nice, funny, friendly… He was the Jacob I always knew. But then we… we started talking about you; about us, and he just… he _changed_. It was like it wasn't even him anymore. I mean, I know it was _him_, of course it was him, but it was like… how can a person chance so quickly without even having to take a breath of air for it to happen?

"It was just so… After not seeing him for so long, and then when I finally do…" She trailed off.

"I know Bella, believe me, I know." I soothed her as I pulled her into my chest. "And I'm so sorry that any of it happened; I am so sorry. I should have known better, I shouldn't have let him come here alone, not after what we had been talking about beforehand. I was stupid Bella, I just… I thought he would behave himself and not do anything rash or stupid… I thought he'd have better judgment than that. But I was stupid for trusting him to be alone with you after I saw how he reacted after I told him about us-"

"When did you tell him?" She cut me off softly. "About us."

"A couple of weeks ago, before it…

"The day he tried to…

"The day he…

"The day he hurt you."

"Why did you wait so long?" She asked. "I mean, it's not a big deal but just… something Jacob said, made me wonder…"

"What did he say?" I asked her. "What did he make you wonder?"

"Well I guess it wasn't fully him, it was me, too. I asked him if you were… ashamed… of me. I mean, it's okay if you are, I'm not exactly anything special, but-"

"Bella," I silenced her. "No, no… Never!" I told her softly. "I could never, never be ashamed of you, I love you, why would you think I was ashamed of you?"

"Because you… because you kept me a secret for so long."

I let out a stifled breath of air and closed my eyes. "I've never been ashamed of you Bella. The reason I was so quiet about you… the reason I kept you a secret for so long is because you were mine. You were the only thing I had that I didn't want to share… I just wanted you… mine.

"Being a wolf, along with its advantages, it also has a lot of disadvantages.

"And one of them is telepathy."

"You mean you can hear each others thoughts?"

"Yeah. Well, no. I mean yes, but, not all the time. Only when we are in wolf form. So, needless to say, nothing is your own anymore. Every thought you are thinking, everyone can see or hear it.

"You were both my biggest prize and biggest inconvenience.

"I thought about you all the time and wanting to keep you mine alone without anyone finding out about you… it was probably the most difficult thing I have ever done in my entire life; to not think about you. And if I ever did slip up it was the memory of the time when I had found you in the woods and was carrying you back to your house; to Charlie.

"When I imprinted on you." I told her both strongly and hesitantly.

"Imprinted?"

"Yeah," I said. "Imprinted."

"What is…? What does that mean?"

"Imprinted means; imprinting, it's one of the tribes legends that we all thought was just that: a legend. But then, we also thought the same thing about being werewolves and the ability to read each others thoughts…

"But, it turned out to be, just like the telepathy and transforming into wolves: very real. And I'm the first one who's done it." Here I took a breath. "Imprinting is like… looking into the eyes of that one person, and when you do it's like… like everything else stops, like everything that mattered before doesn't matter anymore because all you care about is her… all that is important is her.

"And the draw to be with that person is stronger than anything you've ever experienced before. All you care about now is her, and her safety, all that matters to you is being with her.

"It's uncontrollable, unstoppable, unpredictable… the thought of not being with her… it hurts more than anything else imaginable.

"And it's not just you, but her, too. Both of you… the pull to be with one another… the desire… to be together…"

I don't know how it happened. One moment I was explaining to her what imprinting was, just holding her in my arms and looking into her eyes, and next moment her lips were pressed passionately against mine with her hands wound messily in my hair. We breathed together as one as my arms held her tightly around her waist, pulling her against me.

And the next… we were making love.

TBC


	18. Edward

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Sixteen: Edward

**Bella's POV**

"Two weeks!" Jessica exclaimed after slamming shut her locker down the hall, "Two weeks and we are DONE!"

"Pretty exciting news, huh?"

"What?" I asked before closing my own locker and looking towards the voice who had spoken, "What, you mean graduation?"

"Well, yeah silly, what else would I mean?" Mike laughed as he adjusted the strap along his shoulder. "And um, hey, that's not the only reason I phantom'd over here… I had a favor to ask you."

"Yeah?" I asked as we made our way through the end-of-day-crowd towards the main doors.

"Well, actually it's a favor and a question."

"Okay, go ahead, I'm all ears."

"Right, okay. Well, I guess questions are safer so I'll do that one first… The Cullen's are back."

"Um… yes."

"So I was just, I mean… you were so close before, and I was wondering about. Well, you and Edward. I mean, I figured since he came back into town –_a couple months ago_- that you two would get back together, but it doesn't really seem like you have. I mean I'm not trying to butt in or anything, it's just I _do_ see you guys talking sometimes, but it's like… do you guys… are you still… are you guys like on a… a break, or something? I mean, are you guys going to get back together is what I am asking. Cause if not I was-"

"No." I cut him off, "No, Edward and I are… we're done. Like you said, you see us talking so yeah, we're friends, but no, we're not on a break we're just broken up. We never got back together after he left."

"Oh, okay, cool." He breathed. "So you're like… single now? Free for the taking? Oh, um, wow, I'm sorry… I could have worded that better. Um, here, let me start over-"

"No." I cut him off again. "I'm not any of those things…"

"What? You're not?" He asked. "I mean you just, you said you and Edward were like done… and I never see you talking with any other guys here…?"

"Well, no, you wouldn't. My boyfriend graduated a couple years ago, and even if so, he wouldn't go here anyways. He went to school on the reservation, so you wouldn't have seen us talking."

"Oh, so you're not with anyone from here." He said lamely.

"Nope."

"Well, that's uh… cool, I guess," He said sadly. "Are you two serious?"

"Yeah," I said while nodding, "Yeah, we are."

"So you like… love him…"

"Um, Mike, that's not-"

"Yeah, you're right, I'm totally over stepping my bounds right now. Sorry, I'll just… hey; we can pretend that conversation never happened. I'll just move onto that favor I was going to ask you." I nodded. "I've been having car problems lately, my mom's actually been having to drop me off. So I was wondering if like you could maybe give me a ride home? I totally understand if you can't, I just figured I'd ask. But I'd really appreciate it if you could and I'd owe you one."

"Oh, what about Angela or Jessica?" I asked him, "But wait, I thought you and Tyler usually car-pooled together?"

"Well Jessica and Angela are going to the mall, and yeah, Tyler and me usually did, but ever since my car cracked out on me we stopped because Tyler was getting tired of driving me to and from home everyday…"

"Well in that case, let me introduce you to my trusty steed."

"Awesome Bella, thank you, I owe you one, I mean it. Really, anytime you need anything, anything at all… I'm yours."

"No really Mike, it's fine. You don't need to repay me or anything, it's no big deal." I told him as we made our way across the lot to my faithful truck.

"No, seriously, you have no idea how much you are helping me out right now Bella. I won't forget this."

"Really Mike, it's just a ride home. You don't need to go making a big deal of it or anything. Just like… give me ten bucks gas money or something and we'll be even." I told him as the two of us opened opposite doors of my truck. "It's really not a problem," I added as we climbed inside, "I mean I've never given you a ride before… if it were everyday or something it would be another issue. But just the once, no, it's fine."

"No matter what you say Bella I'm still going to make it up to you." He pushed as our seatbelts clicked in unison; I reached into my pocket and pulled out my keys to start the engine, but Mike placed his hand onto my forearm to stop me. "Seriously Bella, I know I seem to be making a big deal over nothing… but it's something to me."

To this, I didn't have the slightest idea how to respond, and so I nodded with a half smile and let out a breath of silent air as he pulled his hand away from me. I then pulled my eyes easily from his and started the engine with even more ease, "Which way are we going?" I asked him as we made our way to the now near-empty lot to the main drive of the road.

"Take a right at the exit, and then just keep going straight for a few. I'll let you know in time before the cardinal changes."

I nodded without looking at him, at took a sharp right.

"So, you never told me what his name is." He said after five minutes of silent driving. "Your boyfriends I mean."

"Oh, well, it didn't really seem important." I said truthfully as he signaled for me to take a left, "But its Sam… Sam Uley. He was there last year when we went down to the Reservation, a little while after I moved here."

"That's cool. So did you guys like talk when we were there, or something?" He asked. "Cause if you did I never really noticed, and I was watching you most of the night… I only saw you walk off with that Jacob kid for a little while."

"Yeah, well…" I began hollowly, "Sam and me never did talk that night, no.

"We didn't really start hanging out until the beginning of this school year, and we just kind of…" I trailed off, not knowing how to word the rest of what I was going to say. Mike told me to take another left, and I did.

"That's cool… Do you think you're goi-"

"Hey what happened with you and Jessica?" I cut him off. "You guys were so close at the beginning of the year."

"Jessica is very… well; she's just not my type. And besides, anything can happen. Remember how close you and Edward were? You two aren't together anymore."

I nodded and let out a subtle laugh, "Touché."

"Take a right here, and a left at the second street, and another right at the third street." He told me as he reached over and placed his hand along the dash. "Is it alright if I turn on the AC, it's pretty warm."

"Yeah, yeah no sure, go ahead." A burst of cool air erupted from the vents seconds after I spoke, and Mike leaned back into his seat and let out a sigh and I could see with the corner of my eye him looking over at me.

"That feels good."

* * *

"So, I'll see you on Monday?" He asked as we stood beside my truck facing each other in front of his brick and ivory covered home.

"Yeah, I'll see you then." I nodded with my hands in my back pockets.

"Okay then… can we like… hug?" He wondered.

"Uh… sure." I said awkwardly as he wrapped his arms around my waist, and I left my left arm hang at my side and wrapped my right around his shoulders.

"Oh come on, that's not a hug. Give me a real one." He complained, and I clenched my teeth together under my closed lips and threw my free arm around him. "That's more like it." He sighed. "Wasn't so hard, was it?"

"No." I told him. "But listen, I've gotta go. So I will see you on Monday at school." I said quickly as I pulled my arms away from him and took a long stride backwards. "But um, it was a great ride, and now I know where you live… so, I'll see you later."

"Are you sure you have to go?" He asked. "Don't you want to see my house?"

"Yes, I see it. It's very nice." I nodded.

"No," He laughed. "You know what I mean, I mean the inside."

"Yeah, I figured that… But like I said Mike, I really have to go now. I wish I could stay and get the grand tour of the Newton House, but like I said…" I said as I took another step backwards and pointed with my thumb towards my truck.

"Well, just… just five minutes, that's all I ask."

"Sorry, I have to go." I told him as I gripped my hand tightly around the handle.

"Okay, okay… I'll see you later."

I nodded as I turned my body from his, and expecting to hear the gravel beneath his feet growing fainter it was growing louder and faster, and so I turned to see if he had forgotten something. But what I got was much, much more unexpected.

His lips were crushed against mine as his body slammed mine harshly against the side of my truck, sending the handle I had been holding only moments ago stabbing painfully into my back. His hands were on my hip and the side of my face as his thighs and chest locked themselves into mine.

"Mike!" I exclaimed as I was able to pull my lips free of his. "Stop! What do you think you're doing!"

"Just shut up and let me kiss you Bella." He breathed heavily as he snapped my neck back to face him as he kissed me once again with wet, eager lips.

"Okay Mike, you have to stop!" I yelled as I freed my lips once more. "Please, stop. Don't do thi-" His lips crashed to mine, preventing me from making any further objections.

This pattern was never ending until…

His lips and body were ripped from mine as a small breeze surrounded me, and it was as if I had only blinked. But as I looked ahead of me Mike was gone, and it took me a moment to realize that he wasn't really gone. Only knocked out and lying flat on his stomach on the gravel before me, and a bruise the size of Arizona blossoming on the side of his cheek.

"What the…?" I began to say, but was answered all too quickly as my eyes zoomed to the left, to find none other than Edward standing there, looking down at Mike as I had been a moment ago.

"I wasn't going to follow you, I promise." He spoke. "But when I heard him ask you for the ride home I knew I had to, I know what he's been thinking for weeks… I was wondering if he was ever going to act on them. And just when I thought he was growing tired of his own sick fantasy… well…

"I'm so sorry I didn't get here soon enough Bella." He said, looking over at me from Mike's unconscious figure.

"It's okay." I said thoughtlessly with a small intake of breath.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he took a stride towards me and placed his hand on the side of my head to examine my neck where Mike had forcefully grabbed me.

"Yeah," I swallowed. "Yeah, I think so."

"Sam must be really getting tired of this…" He said softly as he released his hand from me. "Would you like a ride to Sam's?"

I swallowed and nodded.

TBC

* * *

**AN: **Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to update, some um... _unmentionable_ things happened recently and left me unable to write at all (which was torture!) But, reguardless of the fact that it hurts my wrist to write, I am writing again! I hope you enjoyed the update! :)  
P.S. I really hate Mike...


	19. Forgotten

**AN:** I know it took a while to update, and I am sorry! But I was having a terrible case of writers block (the devil in all of us!) But then, a couple days ago, as I was listening to music from _Glee_ on my iPod I was hit with this plot bunny! I hope you like it…

* * *

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Seventeen: Forgotten

**Bella's POV**

My head thundered with pain as I squeezed my eyes to open, but they just wouldn't. It was as if my eyes had been glued shut, of else contained that way for the past several days.

My body felt numb to the pain that engulfed it. It was as if I shouldn't be feeling any pain, and I didn't, but the stiffness was what gave it away. I could feel the familiar thickness to the surface of my skin that you get whenever you are gifted with a large bruise.

I tried to open my eyes once more, but they still wouldn't budge. So I sufficed to balling my hand into a fist, and as I did I felt another which I had not yet noticed enclosed within it.

"Doctor!" A voice demanded from my side, a voice which I assumed belonged to the hand held in mine. "Doctor! Can I get someone in here please!" The voice was deep and familiar, yet I couldn't put a face to it, let alone a name. "You're gonna be alright Bells, gosh… we thought you'd never wake up." The unfamiliarly-familiar voice said as I at last managed to open my eyes to have a look at him.

"I'm sorry…" I began slowly and softly; looking him up and down and over again, "But I-"

"You've got nothing to be sorry for Bella." He told me with deep, tear-filled, brown eyes, "What happened wasn't your fault, yo-"

"I don't know who you are." I finished, cutting him off and dropping him like a rock into a river of silence and bone-white features.

"Well," Another voice said as the sound of the door swung open. "Awake at last Bella, we were all wondering when you'd come back to us." The obvious Doctor in blue and white said with a calm smile. "You gave your Father here quite a scare."

_Father…_

"Excuse me, um, Doctor Myke… I don't… I can't… What happened?" I asked slowly.

"You can't remember?" He asked me, I shook me head and looked down at my hands now enclosed in my lap. "Well Bella that is nothing to worry about. It is not uncommon for people in your situation -that is to say who have been in a short term coma- to experience some temporary memory loss, or, minor amnesia."

"Yes, I get that, Doctor. But that doesn't help me remember why I am here."

"You were in a car accident." He told me bluntly. "You were with your friend Edward on your way to your boyfriend's house, and someone came up from the rear side of the car and slammed into yours, and Edward wasn't paying attention and lost control of the car. The car flipped about three times before it finally came to a stop, upside down, on the extreme tip of a hill. Your friend Edward must have had an Angel looking out for him or something, he came out unscratched. But you, well… not so much."

"Yeah, yeah he's kind of lucky like that."

The Doctor nodded as he sat at the edge of my bed. "When the ambulance got to the two of you you were unconscious and bleeding in areas covering from your head to foot, and Edward was trembling with fear for you."

"Who um… Who hit us?"

"I don't know. I mean, maybe your friend Edward does. If he does he didn't say anything to the medics or police officers. He might not remember, or he may have not had time to see with how quickly the car you were in began to topple."

"Yeah, maybe."

"So," The man beside me cleared his throat. "When will I be able to take Bella home?"

"Well I'd like to keep her here overnight for observation. And then I'd say if everything goes well with her, we can go ahead and discharge her sometime tomorrow early afternoon."

"Okay, and uh, how long did you say her memory would be _faulty_?"

"Well that is hard to say. She was only in a coma for nine days, so I'd say anywhere from one to three months. But everyone is different, no two bodies are the same, so really only time can tell. Though, if you and Bella would like, I could prescribe some medication to help try and speed up the process?"

"Bella?" The dark haired man who was my Father asked, "What do you think?"

"Yeah, yeah anything to help me remember." I said looking over at the Doctor and nodding solemnly.

"Not to worry Bella, you'll be back to yourself and remembering things just as you always did in no time." The Doctor then squeezed my shoulder softly and turned to leave me alone with my stranger Father.

"Well, I'm going to go ahead and step outside for a minute; give Sam and Edward a call, and your Mother of course. I'll be back in a jiffy. Just… just wait here, relax." And he left.

* * *

"Charlie?" Sam asked as Charlie stood with his back leaning against the outside of the Hospital Building, "I was just about t-"

"She's awake." Charlie cut him off. "But she… she doesn't remember who I am. She can hardly remember anything at all… I mean she seems to know who Edward is, but nothing else. I mean, I don't know, but about the accident I mean. She's so confused and just… Sam, I know you two are… I just don't want you to get your hopes up or anything. There's no guarantee she will remember you… But there's no guarantee she won't not, either."

There was silence over the line for the next few moments as Sam though silently to himself. "But she's awake and that's the important thing. I am just… I have been there with her everyday Charlie, and the time she wakes up…"

"Hey! You have been here with her, and _that_ is what matters Sam. You have been with her and supporting her for hour's everyday, you have lost sleep over all of this, and you'll never know how much that means to me… and to Bella… even though she won't remember it."

"How long did the Doctor say her memory would be like this?"

"Anywhere from a month to three, they said we'll just have to wait and see. They're going to give her some meds to help her along, but until then…"

"Have you called Edward?"

"No, no not yet. I was going to call him after I got off the phone with you."

"Okay, yeah, he's been beating himself up since it happened… I'll head over right now. I'll see you in a bit."

Charlie hit the end button and called Edward with a racing mind.

"Edward…"

* * *

"Sam." I breathed awake as his warm and familiar hand clasped the side of my face.

"Hey you." He smiled sincerely as he bent down and sat beside me on the bed. "How are you feeling?" He asked as he took my hand in his and stroked the top of it with the side of his thumb.

"I don't know." I told him honestly. "Sore? And tired, really tired… which is ridiculous because I've been unconscious for the past nine days." My voice hushed to near silence as he cupped my cheek in his hand, my eyes closing as I leaned into his touch.

"You've been through a lot." He told me. "You need some voluntary sleep…

"Bella, I missed you so much, I was so scared. I mean, I was here every day with you, but I missed the sound of your voice, and your eyes looking into mine." His voice was soft and gentle as our fingers laced slowly together. "I was scared you wouldn't remember me when Charlie told me you didn't remember him."

"Charlie?" I asked him confusedly.

"Your dad Sweetheart." He told me gently. "Bella… How much do you remember?"

"I…" I began, racking my brain. "I remember… taking _someone_ (I don't remember who)home. I had to take this person home because he needed a ride from school that day. He was… trying to do something, trying to force himself onto me, I think…

"I was fighting him off of me, and then…

"I closed my eyes as a gust of wind came, and when I opened them he was on the ground, unconscious. And Edward was…" It was as if my voice had summoned him. He appeared in the doorway, looking in on me and Sam as he walked towards us, as I concluded. "…there."

"This is all my fault." Edward's voice was stiff and broken. "Bella, I am so sorry. I know that nothing I can say will possibly erase what happened, but I will do whatever I can to make it better."

"It's okay Edward." I told him just as brokenly. "It was an accident, you didn't mean for it to happen, it wasn't your fault." No matter what I said, his eyes remained black and hollow. "Who was it, anyways? Did you see?"

He let out a breath of strained air. "No… I didn't. It's so stupid… me, someone like me, out of all people to get into an accident."

"Edward, it's okay. I forgive you."

"No you don't." He half smiled. "But thanks for saying it."

"Edward, really. We've talked about this." Sam told him as he sat down in the chair beside my bed; opposite Sam. "What happened could have happened to anybody, even one of your kind. You were busy paying attention to-"

"You were crying Bella." Edward cut him off while looking over at me. "_So hard_… And I didn't know what to do. I was too busy paying attention to the fact that you were in pain to focus on anything else. All I wanted was to make the pain go away, but I knew, and I know, that I'll never be able to do that for you like Sam does. And so I was trying to get you there as fast as I could, and in my hurry to your aid I lost focus on everything accept you.

"A car cam up beside us, and I guess I thought he was going to pass, so I never looked to see who was driving because I thought nothing of it. And before you ask, yes, I could have looked into his head, but as I said I was too busy focused on you. And then… the next thing I knew we were spinning off the road and the can began to topple sideways, until it last it stopped after what seemed like forever.

"I tried to get to you, to protect you, but believe it or not I actually became disoriented from all of the twisting and spinning. And needless to say… I looked over at you when the car halted to its final stand still, but you were… you were already unconscious."

"I don't remember any of this." I said frustratingly with my brows furrowed together. "I hardly remember even getting in the car…"

"You wouldn't, Bella." Edward told me softly as he placed his hand along my blanket-covered calf. "When we were hit, you already had your eyes closed through your tears, and you hit your head against the dash before you even had time to look up, let alone open your eyes.

"You tried so hard to stay strong after what Mike did to you.

"And you did, at first. But then as we began to drive away you said to yourself –I don't think I was supposed to hear it- but you said, '_It's just like Jacob all over again_.' And it was only a few seconds later that you just… wept. You were sobbing, uncontrollably sobbing; you were almost screaming you were crying so hard.

"I wanted to protect you, I wanted to make it all stop… it was through my protective instinct towards you that got you even more hurt… it got you here." He looked around the room, and then back at me, back at Sam's hand and mine intertwined. "I should have been able to do something; grab you and kick the door off its hinges, jump out of the car with you in my arms and roll you to safety…"

"Like…" I said softly, remembering a conversation we had had in what seemed like now forever ago. "…like the airplane crash."

"Yeah," He said with a smile while huffing out a small laugh. "Like the airplane crash."

"What?" Sam asked confusedly. "You were in an airplane crash?"

"No." Edward and I recited together with a soft laugh, and Sam looked still more confused.

I opened my mouth to explain, but the moment the first syllable left my lips the man called Charlie and also my Father walked into the room with a glum yet relieved expressed resting along his features. "Well," He said. "I see your well attended to now… with people you know."

"Dad," I said half awkwardly, half uncomfortably. "It's… The Doctor said it would-"

"No." He stopped my, raising up his hand and standing up straighter. "You don't have to go on, I know, I get it. They're your boyfriend and best friend, so why would you remember someone like me when you have them. I'm just your Dad, after all, nobody important."

My heart broke at his words with guilt and pain, and yet I couldn't think of a thing to say to a person I didn't –for the time- know. I opened my mouth, trying, but nothing passed. My eyes went back down to my lap and Sam squeezed my hand in his, it was hard to find the strength to squeeze back. He took his free hand and stroked my arm softly, knowing how I could never possibly forget him, and he me.

"Anyways, um," Charlie said, clearing his throat as I looked back up at him. "The school gave you the rest of the year off; you get to graduate early because of… of what happened, and all. You just need to go and pick up your diploma from them before the official end of the school year, that is to say before the juniors and sophomores get out.

"And that being said, seeing how you don't remember me and how you don't have school to go to… if you'd feel more comfortable with Sam picking you up tomorrow…" He trailed, being answered all too quickly by my eyes. "Well, then… I guess I'll… I'll see you later then."

As he turned I could see his eyes sparking with not-yet-fallen tears, and just before the door swung shut the sound of a very masculine and heartbroken sob filled my ears.

I mimicked them in a feminine way, and Sam pulled me into his arms.

TBC


	20. Name

**AN: **Well, before I get started with this AN I would like to apologize to those of you who have sent me messages that I have not gotten back to; I have read them all.  
I have been so busy at work lately (I got a job in mid May, yay!) so I have just not had any time to write! I will try my best to update more often though. But as I said I work all the time. Well, I guess work isn't completely bad for my stories… it gave me a great idea for this one!

**Also**, I now officially have my Crookshanks! My boyfriend got me for an early 21st birthday present a male red tabby Himalayan kitten! I have always wanted a Himalayan and now I have one! And I named him Crookshanks just like Hermione's! (And he look's just like him! Only cuter and much, much younger…) I am so happy!

**Anyways**… here's the long-awaited update!

* * *

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Eighteen: Name

**Edward's POV**

"You knew I couldn't say anything in front of Bella, not how she is right now." Sam said after pulling over the car and stopping it on the side of the road. "She wouldn't want us fighting… And you know what I am going to say because it has been all I have been able to think about for the past four and a half hours."

"I really have no reason or explanation for you." I told him calmly. "After everything else that happened that day, I just thought it… I thought there were more important things at hand.

"But seeing you, and hearing it finally from your mouth instead of your head, I understand that you feel differently. But there's nothing you can do to change things, it happened, and it's over. Bella's fine now."

"Fine!" He burst out. "Fine? You call my girlfriend lying in a hospital bed with memory loss _fine_? You call her almost getting raped again _fine_? I mean, I know it's not your fault but at least try and be a little more sympathetic. I know what happened wasn't your fault Edward, and I'm sorry I'm taking it out on you. I am just so fed up with different people hurting her again and again. And I mean… why did he have to ask Bella out of all people? Out of every other girl in the whole school… why Bella? Why… why my Bella…?" He trailed off before overlapping his arms on the upper side of the steering wheel and dropping his forehead onto them. "Why my Bella?" He asked again softly.

"With Jacob and what he did… I can't answer you that." I told him. "But Mike, he's been after Bella ever since she moved to Forks. It was just a matter of time."

"Time?" He asked. "I didn't know that still existed to you."

I laughed.

* * *

**Unknown POV**

"Hospital?" I repeated into the phone. "What do you mean she's in the hospital?"

"Well, as I said… you've been gone a while. You're bound to run into a few surprises on your return."

"Yeah, I guess. But I should be there for her… she's my best friend, and she's always been there for me and I'll always be there for her. It was stupid going off like this without telling anybody!" I shouted as slamming my fist into the inside of the phone booth. "Okay, okay… don't tell her I'm coming. I want to surprise her; I'll take her out to dinner and maybe we can see a movie when she get's discharged. I really owe it to her."

"Okay, well… not like I don't know you or anything. But I've got a job to get back to. So uh… ah… um… what was your name again kid?"

"Jacob." I told her. "Jacob Black."

TBC

* * *

**AN: **I know! I know, such a long wait for a chapter this short, right? Well, if it makes you feel any better I already have the next chapter typed out, I just love leaving you guys with cliffhangers! :P


	21. Months

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Nineteen: Months

**Bella's POV**

"Hey you," his voice was perfect, flawless. His smile charming and friendly; just the way I remembered him. But only, no, he can't be here, it can't be him. Dreams can be so cruel, teasing you with things in life that you wish the most, but can never have. He's dead. I am asleep in the hospital, and I am only dreaming he is here.

"Jacob?" But my voice is too loud, too real. The sound of it passing by my ears with too much force, too much vibration as it travels up my throat and into the air. "You're… you can't be here."

"But I am," he said. "I should have never left like that, telling no one… I was stupi-"

"Oh my God," I breathed as I ripped the covers off of me and flung my arms around him tightly. "Jacob, Jacob, you can't be here. You're dead!" I cried.

"Whoa, whoa, no body's dead Bella," he whispered while rubbing my back softly. "I'm here honey; I just went away for a little while. I'm not dead Bella; I'd never leave you hanging like that. Never."

"But you are Jacob, they killed you! They told me; after what you did to me, they said they killed you! Oh, God, please don't let this dream end!" I sobbed into his shoulder.

"Did to you?" He sounded lost and confused. "What are you talking about, did what to you? I've been gone for months…"

"You… what?"

TBC

* * *

**AN: **Okay, seriously guys! I am SO SORRY! I just… I did have this done for a while, but, okay. I think personal things on here are kind of weird, but… I was… Well, I turned 21 on the 26th of August, and was out a few weeks ago with a friend (who was, of course, sober, unlike me!) and this guy he… well, long story short he tried to rape me... I still have a bruise on my arm from where he bit me… I know it's lame, like none of us even know each other, but, I feel that you guys liking my stories so much makes us sort of close. Don't you agree? Well, anyways, sorry it is so short, just… I didn't like how it was before, so I deleted a bunch. I love all of your comments, and I am sorry, I just haven't been myself lately. I will update as soon as I can. I love you all.


	22. Four

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Twenty: Four

**Bella's POV**

"What do you mean he's alive?" Sam asked as I stood trembling in his house with my head facing towards his chest; hugging myself and his hands upon my shoulders. "Bella, he is dead. I saw him killed. It can't have been him… you had to have been dreaming, there is just no way it was him."

"But it was… it had to be. I've never had a dream like that before Sam; I can't recall waking up after it was over."

"But, Bella, sweetheart, there is just no way it was him." He told me gently as he pulled me into his arms and wrapped them lovingly around me with his chin resting softly on top my head. "As much as I wish it didn't have to be so, but, because of what he did, he is gone."

"That's the thing." I told him, pulling my head from beneath his to look up into his eyes. "He doesn't remember it. Not any of it. When I told him he was dead, he just… he said he'd been gone for months. On a… a Vision Quest? I think that's what he called it. He said he'd been gone for months, in Canada, and that when he decided to leave he didn't tell anybody, and that he disconnected and recycled his cell phone. Sam, that can be what really happened, can't it? I mean, maybe it is Edward and you who were the ones who confused the truth from fantasy?"

"As much as I would like to take that into consideration… how do you explain what he did to you? How do you explain-" He slowly slid his hand away from my back and pulled up my casted arm, "-this?"

"It could have been a million things, I am Bella. And… there is this, too…" I said hesitantly while reaching my hand into my back pocket to pull out my cell phone. "Look at the date, it's not old Sam… it was taken today. To prove that I was wrong about him being dead, and the look in his eyes, Sam, I have never seen him so genuine before. He really doesn't remember trying to rape me, he said he would never hurt me; he was in tears when he thought I could even imagine him doing such a thing to me, his oldest and best friend."

"But it can't be." He said falling into a seat that was nearby, keeping his unblinking eyes on the illuminated screen of my cell phone which held a picture of Jacob and me at the hospital. "He is dead! Dead and buried!" Here he paused, shutting the screen off of my phone and placing it down beside him. He then cupped his hand into a vertical oval around him nose and lips and let out a long, loud sigh. "If it was him… then Edward must not have killed him. He must have changed his mind at the last second and merely cracked his neck, like a chiropractor. The shock of it, thinking it would be more than that must had scared Jacob and he may have just fainted; blacked out.

"Maybe Edward has learned ways to use his psychic abilities in other ways. He may have put all of those ideas and lies into Jacob's head and put him on a flight up to Canada. Punished him in another way instead of killing him, but, honestly, I don't see how any of what I just suggested would be thought of or seen as punishment versus the contrary."

"I think that we should call Edward." I suggested as I brought my hand up to stroke the side of his head gently, and he pulled me once again into his arms with a single nod.

* * *

"Gone." Edward stated as we three stood surrounding Jacobs' 'burial' site. "There was never anyone here, I'd of known. I'd of smelt it."

"Maybe you were able to change your own memories as well as his. Maybe that's how it works, changing another persons memory goes against all laws of nature, so to get you back for it nature makes it go both ways."

"I've told you already that's a ridiculous verdict; it doesn't work like that. I have been a vampire for ninety-three years, if I'd of been able to do that I would have figured it out years ago. Besides, I can read people minds; not manipulate them."

"He's right, Sam." I said. "When the two of us were together he'd talk all the time about hating that he'd never been able to shut out other people's thoughts. He felt as if he were violating them… when he couldn't read mine he thought that was some kind of sign that he was building an immunity to it, or, wall. He thought then that he might one day be able to turn it on and off at will. But that's all, if I know him like I used to the only thing he would ever practice would to be to shut out others people's minds, not go inside of them entirely. Let alone control them. Edward wouldn't do that, he couldn't."

"Thank you, Bella."

"Fine." Sam shrugged. "I am out of ideas, how else do we explain it? I mean, he was her-"

"Well, well, well." A familiar voice spoke out of turn, making the three of us become silent as we turned to look at the uninvited fourth party participant. "Looks like my new friend is as good as he said."

Edward stiffened and stepped closer to block me from view, and with my breath caught in my throat I reached out to grab his hand tightly.

"Victoria."

"So you do remember me."

TBC

* * *

Oh my gosh! I am SO SORRY you guys! My life has just been very complicated lately and I haven't had much enthusiasm to write… I will try my hardest to not go this long EVER AGAIN without updating!  
And, luckily I have been on a writing kick lately, so hopefully (really, hopefully) I will be updating more frequently as I used to.


	23. Deceit

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Twenty-One: Deceit

**Bella's POV**

"And what was that I heard there Bella? When the two of you, being Edward and yourself of course, _were_ together?" She wondered curiously. "Well? I asked you a question Bella, and, frankly, if I were you, I'd be nice to me."

"Don't answer her Bella; Sam." Edward said as Sam stepped forward and took my hand and pulled me towards him.

"Edward, what's going on? Bella? Who is she?" Sam asked; lost.

"You're the one who has shown up uninvited, so we ask the questions." Edward went on. "You said your new friend is as good as he said. What are you talking about?"

"I guess that's fair, seeing how I am going to kill you all here in a minute, I might as well answer your few little questions.

"His name is David, and he is, to say the least, amazing."

"What do you mean, Victoria?" Edward asked impatiently.

"Well, just as I said: amazing. I mean come on! Do you really think that Bella's friend would try and rape her? Break her wrist? Like he's strong enough." She scoffed. "I mean wow! David is _really_ good. And, I must say, when he told me at first I was skeptical, but now this? I mean damn! _Really__ good!_

"He can, as you were all discussing as I stood here watching and listening, manipulate minds; he can make whoever he wants see and feel and hear whatever he wants. He can create fiction, if you will; plays. So, as he told Bella, I am sure he was in fact in Canada. The person that tried to rape her? No, didn't happen. That was just an incredibly powerful hallucination. And you killing him? That was also David working his magic for me.

"Oh! Also, before you go on blaming me for _everything_. Bella, Mike? Was that his name? That was real, he really did try to rape you, sorry. Not me that time. So you really can hate him; that's on him. Not me."

"What do you mean manipulate minds? That's impossible." Edward shot.

"No? So it's so possible to read them, then? Or see the future or _manipulate _emotions? See Edward, I can get away. I am a lot faster than any of you Cullen's combined. And what else I can hide and not be found for a century, and by the time you are even close to finding me I am already across the sea and in another country.

"So yes, Edward, you're not the only special one and you can get over yourself now."

"You have nothing here, anymore, Victoria." I cut in. "Edward and me aren't together anymore, so you have nothing on us anymore. There is nothing you can do to us; to him."

"Oh, trying to save yourself, that's cute. But to be honest, Bella, I don't care that you love someone else now. _He_ still loves you, so, sorry, but that means your life. Sorry, and eighteen in such a young age."

"VICTORIA!" Edward shot. "YOU ARE NOT TOUCHING HER!"

"Wow," She sang, "I never thought you had it in you. I must say, standing up to me? I am impressed, really!"

"You know Victoria, you really were stupid to show up here. Now." Edward added, laughing. I hadn't even noticed the group of werewolves that had gathered behind her and to the sides of us. And, obviously, neither had she.

She knitted her eyebrows together and was about to say something but was cut off as Edward put in, "Tag. You're it."

"What?"

The sounds that ripped through the air after that were so loud I had to pull my hand away from Sam's and cover them tightly over my ears.

"No," Victoria whispered with wide eyes, "That's impossible…" But I heard and saw no more as I was spun around and pulled tightly against Edward; wind wiped my hair around and he began running away.

"Edward no, we can't leave Sam!" I shouted, but was answered as I turned my head around soon enough to see a great black wolf appear through one of the trees behind us; one minute there and the next speeding off in the other direction. "Sam," I whispered to myself, wishing it was he who held me now, but knew he had other obligations.

* * *

"Of course he didn't know," Edward said after we had reached Sam's house and was pacing back and forth before me as I sat shaking on his bed. "The other wolves, they must have… must have smelt her and come to the field. I can't believe I didn't smell her I was so stupid!" He cursed himself.

"Edward, it's fi-"

"No!" He shot at me. "No Bella, it's not fine! I could have gotten you killed! Think if you had gone there alone! Then what would I have done?"

"But I didn't, and I'm here." I said calmly.

"Yeah, no thanks to me."

"You have to stop putting my life on your shoulders, Edward. I'm not yours to take care of anymore… you cut that responsibility out of your life the day you left."

"Bella," He said as he suddenly stopped pacing and was before me on his knees, "For as long as you are alive you will be my responsibility. You have been since the first day I ever met you, and you will be for the rest of your life. I know that you love Sam now, but who you love will never change my loyalty to you. _I__ will__ never__ leave__ you_."

"Yeah… You broke that promise a long time ago."

"And I never will again."

"I'm not going to be yours again Edward, I can't be."

"Yes, you can, Bella." He whispered, becoming closer, "He's imprinted on you, that doesn't mean you can't love someone else, and I know that every time you look at me you still have feelings for me; I can see you love me in your eyes. I see it, Bella, and you can't deny what you see; what's before your eyes."

"You do see love in my eyes Edward, but it isn't for you, it's because I'm always thinking about him."

"No, Bella, no, it's not. I see it's for me, I see it every time we are alone together, or when Sam isn't looking. Bella, I know you love me. I know it."

"Are you seriously doing this right now?" I asked him as I crawled backwards away from him. "After everything that's happened?"

"Yes," he said as me pulled himself onto Sam's bed and began scooting towards me. "I am, Bella, because I know you want it. I know you want me as badly as I want you.

"You want me to hold you again, to feel your skin, and to kiss you…"

"Edward, stop…" I said nervously. "Please, please don't do this. I don't love you."

"Once you live as long as I have you become very observant to things Bella. And only someone as passionate as you; someone fighting against something so hard is really begging for the opposite."

"Edward," I breathed nervously, "Sam is going to be back soon… He's going to see you, he'll see what you're doing."

"See; I can hear it in your voice, how badly it hurts to be this close but not be able to have me. But I am close Bella, and you can have me, all you have to do is ask. Ask and I will be yours."

"No, Edward, no… no." I shook my head as he brought his face in closer towards mine. "Don't… please stop this… I love Sam."

"And I love you; and I know you're lying to yourself just as much as you are to me."

"Edward!" I shouted, "This isn't you! This isn't you! Please!"

"Oh, Bella," He moaned out as he brought his body down to mine and wrapped his arms around me and began smelling my neck. "I have missed you so much; I have missed us. Your warmth, your body… your smell… I love you, oh, how I love you."

"Get off of me!" I screamed as I began kicking my legs and flinging my arms in attempt to push him away from me. "Edward stop it! You're hurting me; you're scaring me!"

"Bella don't fight it, please, please come back to me! Be mine!"

"No!" I told him, "No! Edward, No!"

"Please," He whispered very softly, "Just let me have you… just let me have you. I will die without you… please, oh, God, Bella please."

"Edward, no!" I screamed as I felt his hand travel down the length of my stomach, and caress my inner thighs. "Edward!"

"Shh, shh," He cooed me, "I know how badly you want it; I can feel your warmth; smell your desire for me."

"Edw-" I tried again, but was silenced as he clapped his hand down over my mouth. "_Please!__" _I screamed from beneath his cold hand. _"__Please__ Edward__ please!__ Don__'__t__ do__ this!__ Don__'__t__ do __this!__ Don__'__t __do __th-__"_ I was silenced by the hard, ice cold pain that was shoved inside of me.

"Oh, Bella…" He moaned before shoving himself back inside of me again and again. "Bella, my love."

I closed my eyes and wept. Wept in pain, wept in sadness and rage… wept for Sam.

He thrust into me again.

* * *

**Sam's POV**

I halted in my bounds as the pack rushed past me, screaming at me, "_WE__ ALMOST__ HAVE__ HER!__ WHAT__ THE__ FUCK __ARE__ YOU__ DOING__ SAM!__ COME__ ON!__" _

My chest hurt with a kind of pain I had never felt before, and I felt sick. Very, very sick; nauseous even. And without explanation for even myself I ran back to the house as fast as I could.

TBC


	24. Connection

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Twenty-Two: Connection

**Sam's POV**

Transforming without thought, I quickly burst through the front door and jumped into a pair of thrown-about black sweat pants and flew up the stairs three at a time.

She was on my bed; sobbing with her face in her hands and her hair strewn and matted all over the place. "Bella," I said quickly as I bounded towards the bed and climbed to her, "Bella, Bella, shh… shh…" I said softly as I pulled her into my arms and she wrapped herself around me. "I'm here, I'm here."

"Sam," She sobbed, "Edward, he-"

"I know," I told her stiffly, "I know… I felt you. I felt you when I was out in the field- I felt so sick I- Oh, Bella, I _am__ so__ sorry_. I am so, so sorry Bella. I am so sorry I let this happen."

Feeling the chills radiating from her body I lifted the both of us up and wrapped ourselves into the covers and held her as close as I could to me, in hopes my own over-heated body would warm her.

"Sam," She cried again, "Oh, _Sam!_"

"Shh, shh," I cooed her, "It's alright now Bella, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. I have you, I have you."

"I love you so much," She stammered through her tears.

"I love you too Bella, I love you so much and I hate myself for this happening."

"Can we just, can we just go away for a while?" She asked me, looking up at me for the first time since I had arrived with tear-streaked cheeks. "Please? Please, just the two of us?"

"Yes, yes Bella. We can go wherever you want; any place in the world, I will take you there for as long as you want. Just you and me." I promised her while hugging her close and rubbing her back as she once again squeezed her eyes shut and squealed from her throat.

Though I told her everything was alright; it was _not_ alright. Edward was dead to me, in every sense of the word. I trusted him! That bastard! That lying, manipulating rapist! I knew he was still in love with her, but still I listened to him; believed him! All the times he had told me he understood she no longer loved him, and that he would keep himself from her… and he does this! After all the times he had swore to protect her and keep her safe and out of harms way!

Why hadn't I seen it coming? Why? WHY, WHY! The way he had been acting towards her lately, with more closeness and friendliness since he had arrived back in town… I should have known! I should have seen it coming! After all the talks of him understanding Bella's and my relationship; understanding our love.

First Jacob! Which, I knew now was not real, but it was just as real to her then anything, her wrist to prove that. Then _Mike_, and now Edward! Three times! Three times this has happened to her! I only thank God it didn't go all the way every time; granted it happened at all… THREE!

Why couldn't these _boys _just leave her alone? Bella was mine and I was hers; she was mine to look after and protect and hold dear… to love and comfort through everything. And yet in the short time we have been together so much pain has happened to her, why? Why her? Why my Bella? My perfect, beautiful, innocent, loving, funny, charming, amazing Bella… what did she ever do except try to live her life as normally as possible in an overly-complicated abnormal world?

No. No. This would _never _happen again. Never; never to her. I would never let her get hurt again; never be betrayed again by anyone.

I let out a long sigh and pulled her closer still against me as she shook and trembled against me, though her tears had stopped falling, her body cried silently; violently. And as she spoke, it was as if we were in a ten-degree room, "Hold me tighter Sam," She asked me, "Please hold me tighter."

I slid my arms further around her and held her as tightly as I could without hurting her; her heart beating quickly against my chest and her breath caressing my neck. And eventually, there in my arms, she drifted off to a somewhat peaceful sleep. I on the other hand had never been more awake.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO YOU MONSTER!" Alice assaulted me as I walked through the front door with furious eyes and even meaner fists, "YOU STUPID, STUPID, FOOLISH, DUMB, FUCKING IDIOT! YOU ASSHOLE! YOU BASTARD DICK! I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL! YOU, YOU – I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! III HHAATTEE YYOOUU! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! I CAN'T UNDERSTAND YOU! I'LL KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD FUCK I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Alice!" Carlisle called as he appeared beside her and was soon ripping her from me and struggling to keep her away, "Alice! Calm down! What happened?"

"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT! I HATE YOU! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN! I CAN'T, I CAN'T-" The rest of our family was soon in the front hall of the room and pressing their hands hard over their ears (myself included) as she let out a soul-splitting scream. "YOU BASTARD!"

"Alice, calm down," Jasper said as the atmosphere began to change slowly.

"DON'T YOU DARE JASPER!" She told him sharply, "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HE DID TO HER!"

"Alice!" Rosalie shouted, "Calm down and tell us what he did that brought about all of this?"

"HE RAPED HER!" Alice told them, never giving me any chance to explain first. "HE FUCKING RAPED HER! HE RAPED BELLA! BELLA! OUR BELLA; BELLA! HE FUCKING FORCED HIMSELF ONTO HER AND RAPED HER!"

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen," Esme said sharply and she crossed her arms over her abdomen, "Is this true?"

I bit my tongue as I gathered myself and sprang back to my feet and dusted myself off. "Let me tell you how it really-"

"You answer me Boy," She commanded.

"Boy?" I asked her, "I am older than-"

"This isn't a time for smartness Edward," Carlisle frowned, "You answer your Mother right this moment."

"By terms of society, then, yes. I raped her." I admitted.

"Dude!" Emmett wailed, "What the fuck! You're a dick man! Shit, that's not cool bro!"

"LEAVE!" Alice screamed, "CARLISLE, ESME, MAKE HIM LEAVE! I CAN'T BE IN THE SAME HOUSE AS HIM! THE SAME STATE, THE SAME COUNTRY! MAKE HIM LEAVE OR I'M LEAVING!"

"Really Alice, like they are going to make me-"

"I want you out of my house right now Edward." Carlisle cut me off.

"Carlisle, I haven't even explained mys-"

"I will not have someone in my house who has done something like this. Something so cruel, so violent, so loathsome and inhuman; so vulgar and barbaric. You took away her free will, Edward, you took away her innocence, her happiness. Someone you claimed to love for so long, someone who you promised to do anything for so long as it protected her and kept her safe.

"When I took you in and made you one of my own I told you the rules, Edward. We don't feed on people; we don't hurt humans. And you have hurt her in a way that is worse than death.

"Now, if you are not out of my house in five minutes I will make you get out. And remember, I am much older than you, and much stronger. The clock's ticking." He told me, "Oh, and, Edward?"

Without speaking I turned back to face him. "If I ever see you around, or heard you have gone to see Bella, I will find you. And I will kill you myself."

"Edward," Emmett said with his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

"Yes, Emmett?" I asked him, irritated.

"You can go ahead and forget my number."

"Mine too," Jasper added.

"I didn't want you to know mine in the first place," Rosalie scorned.

"Yes, Edward, why don't you go ahead and buy yourself a new phone? As I did buy that one for you; it's not really yours."

"It was a gift." I pointed out.

"Well you can go ahead and consider me an Indian giver then."

"Very well," I said tensely, "I didn't like the brand anyways."

"That's one thing we have in common," He sighed, "Because I don't care very much for yours, either."

I breathed deeply while walking up the stairs and shut my door softly behind me.

_Those __bastards!_I thought while throwing my suitcase onto my bed and flinging it open. _Those__ impulsive,__ thick-headed__ assholes!__ They__ wouldn__'__t __even __hear__ me__ out!_

_Okay, yes, yes I did rape her! But I had my reasons; I had my grounds! SHE STILL LOVES ME! She wanted me just as badly as I wanted her! And the only thing holding her back from letting herself be fully mine is that stupid mutt she's gone off and gotten herself imprinted with! Dammit she still loves me! I knew it by how she was looking at me; how she was breathing and the soft moans she was unable to keep herself from making while I was inside of her! The way she was crying my name! The way she released for me; how she screamed my name; pulled me close and arched backwards with pleasure! How she grabbed my hand for protection before even thinking of Sam!_

_The way she breathed deeply after I came inside her; how she couldn't stop moaning and panting my name!_

_Fuck Bella! Why have you done this to me? To us? If you would just be honest with yourself and with me and with everybody else we would be fine and this would have never happened! I could have given myself to you the way I really wanted and you wouldn't have had to go on and cry about it and it wouldn't have to be called rape! Dammit Bella! Dammit… Dammit… Dammit! _

_Why__ couldn__'__t__ you__ just __let __us __make__ love__ the__ way__ I__ had__ always__ pictured__ us__ doing? __Why__'__d __you __have __to__ go __off __and__ leave __me __and _pretend _to__ love__ that__ Sam__ Uley?__ Why __Bella__… __why?_

* * *

"Get up you cry baby!" Alice shouted as another blow landed against the side of my head. "You have no reason to cry! She's the one you raped! She's the one who gets to cry!" Another blow, followed by another, and then another.

I hadn't even noticed, but as I opened my eyes I was on the floor and my hands were covering my face. And though my tears could not fall, my eyes were moist.

"Edward you need to leave it's been five minutes." Carlisle put in coldly as I looked up and saw him standing behind a sour, bitter and extremely angry looking Alice. "Do as I say or I will pick you up and throw you threw that window." He added as he flicked his eyes towards my window, and then back down at me.

My eyes fell downwards as I fingered for the handle of my suitcase.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

"Sam?" I asked softly as we lay in the dim glow of twilight, holding each other close beneath the blankets.

"Yeah?"

"Earlier you said something that I haven't been able to stop think about; when you… when you found me." He looked at me softly, patiently as I went on. "You said you felt me, that you felt sick."

"Yeah, I did." He told me. "I was out there with the guys, and all of the sudden I felt this pain in my chest; it hurt so bad I couldn't keep running. Then I was overcome with sickness so intense I almost… well, I felt sick. And I knew there was no explanation for it, but I knew it had to do with you. I knew I had to get to you as soon as possible, so I ran as fast as I could; faster than I have in my entire life."

"Why do you think that is?" I asked him. "I mean, how is it possible that you knew I was in danger?"

"Honestly?"

I nodded.

"Because I love you, and you love me… and because we are meant for each other. The connection I have for you Bella is stronger than anything I have ever felt before, even before we were together I knew when you were sad, happy… torn; I always felt you. I have always had a connection with you Bella, and I will always know when you need me. Even if we are miles apart.

"And even as I was running it was like I could hear you calling my name; hear you crying. And I think that's why I ran so fast, because I knew I had to get to you."

I slid my hand across his shoulder and pulled myself closer to him and laced his fingers within mine, "I love you." I told him softly as he ran his hand across the top of my head and through my chaotic hair.

"I love you Bella," He said soothingly, "Now, where do you want to go?"

I took a moment to consider my options, and then, deciding with what I thought was a reasonable decision said, "Mars?"

He laughed and pulled me close.

TBC


	25. Family

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Twenty-Three: Family

**Charlie's POV**

"How long?" I asked as I watched my daughter run about her room collecting things and then toss them onto her bed beside her suitcase.

"I don't know; a while." She said while shaking her head and turning back towards her closet.

"And, where are you going to be again?" I asked. "Will I be able to get a hold of you, and will you call me once you get there?"

"Yeah, we'll have Sam's phone, you know the number don't you?" She asked before sitting on her bed and beginning to neatly fold and organize her selected items.

"Yeah, yeah I know it." I said with a sigh as I pushed myself away from her doorway and took a step into her room and folded my arms over my chest. "You know, I know you kiddo, and this –taking off like this. It isn't like you, are you sure there isn't anything you want to talk about?" I asked as I grabbed her desk chair and scooted it in front of her and took a seat on it backwards; folding my arms and resting them on the back of it.

"Yeah," She smiled. "Yeah, I'm sure." It was the smile all Dads' knew; the lying smile. I had only recently gotten her back; gotten her to remember who I was, and already we were back to this.

"Okay," I gave in reluctantly. "And you still haven't reminded me where you two are headed off to."

"Didn't I?" She asked me without looking up.

"No, no Bells, you haven't." I told her. "I don't even think you told me to begin with."

"Sorry," She apologized. "We're going to Oregon; Seaside."

"Oregon?" I asked skeptically. "What's in Oregon?"

She laughed, "It's not _what__'__s _in Oregon, it's what's _not _in Oregon."

"Ah, one of those trips huh?" I mused. "So, nothing to talk about?" I pushed and she set another pair of jeans into her suitcase.

"Dad," She began, "There are some things that have happened in my life recently that I'd rather not relive. And this -the reason I am taking a vacation- is one of them. Okay?"

"Okay, I guess I'll just have to call your Mother."

"Good luck, because her guess will be just as good as yours."

"You haven't told her?"

"No, Dad, as I said… _things__ I__'__d__ rather __not__ relive_."

"Okay, point taken," I surrendered; throwing my arms into the air.

She raised her eyebrows and went back to her folding as I added, "But hey, before you and Sam take off I'd like to make you guys' dinner. Or, hell, let's go crazy I'll take you out for once."

"Seriously?" She asked after a moments pause.

"Hey now, I'm not all around boring, I can be spontaneous." I defended myself.

"I know that, but, why?"

"I don't know, I really like Sam, and, well, he seems to make you happy. So… isn't that a good enough reason?"

"Okay Dad cut the act, what's the real reason?"

"The truth is that… I'm going to miss you while you're gone. And I'd like to do something for you so we can all spend a little time together before you take off. Fair?" I admitted. "And besides, you've never been one to complain about free food."

"You're not wrong," She laughed. "Okay, yeah, I'll call Sam when I'm done packing."

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"No."

"Right."

"Huh?"

"I'll call him; I haven't talked to him in a while and I'd like to see how he's doing." I sighed as I pushed myself from her chair and slid it back to her desk.

"Okay," She said awkwardly, "But, Dad?" She added as I turned back around to look at her. "Just remember, I'm your daughter and I respect your privacy, and I ask you do the same."

I smiled before heading back into the hall. "Fine."

* * *

"Why not?" I asked into the phone.

"Because Charlie, she has her own will, and when she's ready to tell you she will. You're going to just have to be patient." Sam told me maturely.

"Well when you put it like that you make her sound so adult."

"Well she is Charlie," He told me, "And does Bella know you called me about this?"

"I'm sure she suspects," I told him; he laughed, "But, anyways, the purpose of my call wasn't just to pester you to tell me the secret private life of my daughter."

"I guessed as much. What's up?" He wondered.

"Well, a couple things. But first how would you like if I took you and Bella out to dinner tonight?"

"Wait, _you_, Charlie Swan, want to take us _out_?"

"God!" I huffed, "What is it with you two, _yes!_ I want to take you guys out, why is that so hard to believe?"

"I'm just kidding with you Charlie," He laughed, "If I know Bella as much as I think I do than I am sure she gave you crap so I was just doing the same thing."

"You could call than an accurate accusation…" I admitted shamefully. "Anyways, the other reason I was calling was because we haven't talked in a while and I was wondering how you've been."

"Oh, well I've been good," He said, but I could tell there was an underlying tone of betrayal in his voice, like that of Bella's. I sighed and decided to let it go.

"That's good." I nodded.

"Yeah," He said back.

"Well, now that we've taken care of that… I guess I'll see you tonight. How's six sound?"

"Six sounds great."

"Okay, see you then."

"See you later Charlie."

I hung up the phone and jumped while placing my hand over my heart, "_Darn__it__ Bella!_ You nearly gave me a heart attack." I complained, "Haven't you ever heard to not sneak up on an old man?"

"I must have missed that part with the whole lying to your daughters face about respecting her privacy." She scowled.

"Point taken, but," I said as my breathing regulated again and I stood straight, "He didn't tell me anything, if it makes you feel better."

She smiled, "It's nice to have a dream."

"Yeah," I nodded, "Figured as much."

* * *

"Hey Dad I'm ready to g- AH!" She screamed as she twisted and fell forwards after leaping dramatically beside me. "Ow, ow, ow!"

"Bella! You nutcase what did you do!" I asked before adding quickly into the phone, "I'll have to call you back Billy. Bella's hurt herself."

"You were on the phone!" She cried painfully while grasping her ankle.

"Yeah, and?"

"And I didn't want to trip over the cord!"

"Bella, it's a cordless phone!"

"I know! I know, I just now remembered that when you told me that! Just now!"

I had to turn myself away from her and clasped my hand over my mouth to keep from her hearing my laugher.

"It's not funny! I could have died and _you__'__re __laughing_?"

I only laughed harder, "I'm r-ready when you are."

"What's going on?" Sam asked curiously as he rounded the corner, "BELLA!"

"She's fine, Sam, she's fine." I assured him as my laughter slowly diminished. "She just tripped over the phone is all."

"Bella?" Sam asked as he knelt down beside her, "Did you trip over a cordless phone?"

She swallowed, "I think I twisted my ankle."

"I think you'll live sweetheart," He smiled humorously, "I think you'll live."

* * *

"So do you guys have any idea what Hotel you'll be staying in?" I asked after the waiter had given us our menus and left.

"No, not really," Sam shook his head. "I figured we'd just get there and look for a place and if nowhere was available we could always just sleep in the car."

"Now wait just a second," I shot at him. "You expect me to let you treat my daughter like-"

"He's kidding Dad!" Bella cut me off, "Do you really think we'd go somewhere and not have a place of where to sleep, bathe and laze about?"

"Oh," I blushed, "Well… good." I cleared my throat before taking off my jacket. "So, do you have any idea what you're going to get?"

"Mmm, I think I'll have the Portabella Linguini." Bella said before setting her menu down, "And a pomegranate-strawberry lemonade."

"Sounds good," I nodded, "How about you Sam?"

"Well, I was looking at the wine list. Now, would you suggest a white or red? Or maybe something a bit stronger?"

"_Dad!_" Bella sang as she saw my widening eyes. "He's kidding! Gosh, Sam, cut it out or you're going to give him a heart attack; you're terrible."

"Sorry," He said with a quick laugh. "Sorry, Charlie, you're just too easy."

"You call it easy, I call it trusting." I said back as Bella rolled her eyes and looked back over at Sam before smacking his arm; he leaned down and kissed her and I felt warmth fill my heart to his kindness towards her. Something Edward never seemed to have the time for.

"But no," Sam went on, "I think I'll get the Steak Fettuccini, and a raspberry limeade."

"Sounds good."

"That does sound good," Bella agreed. "Maybe I'll get the same."

"No, go on and get what you originally wanted; it sounded good too. We can share."

"Brilliant."

"Brilliant." He said back teasingly before quickly kissing the tip of her nose.

"_And__ I_," I added as I looked down at the menu, "Will get the Steak and Potatoes."

"Dad, do you ever eat anything besides Steak and Potatoes?"

"It comes with Vegetables," I defended myself.

"Oh," She laughed. "My mistake, such a difference those greens make. I'll have to make a mental note of it."

"You better," I said truthfully while piling my menu atop hers and Sam's. "I hate Vegetables."

_God, did I hate Vegetables…_

* * *

"That was great Dad, thank you," Bella said as she reached up and wrapped her arms around my shoulders and kissed me softly on the cheek.

"Yeah, thank you Charlie." Sam said as he extended his had towards mine.

"Well, anytime." I said awkwardly as we shook hands while nodding with a small smile. "So, are you two gonna stay in town one more day, or…?"

"No, I think we're going to head out." Sam informed me as he pulled Bella towards him and hugged and held her from behind; her arms resting atop his and a happy smile on her lips. Again, my heart warmed. "I'm a night owl, and Bella hates waking up early, so, I figured nighttime would be the best time to hit the road. That way Bella will be free to fall asleep on the way there and we can both sleep in as late as we want tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan," I said as I slid my hand into my pockets. "And you'll be sure to call me if there's any trouble?"

"Yes Sir."

"And when you get there?"

"Of course," Sam said, "Charlie, I will take care of her, you don't need to worry… I won't let anything happen to her…" Again that same underlying tone of betrayal came through his lips, and Bella tensed slightly, but still they seemed content. In a stiff, awkward way, that is.

"I trust you Sam," I told him. "But she's my baby girl; Bella, don't look at me like that, you'll always be my baby girl.

"Now come here, give me one more hug before you take off." I said as I pulled my hands from my pockets and held them open for her as she pulled away from Sam and stepped into my arms. "I love you Bells," I told her.

"I know, Dad," She said awkwardly. "I love you too."

I knew she still wasn't used to my recent closeness with her, but after her not remembering me for what seemed like an eternity –it really made me see things differently.

"Okay," I smiled as she stepped back. "Have fun; bring me back something nice."

"I'll have to check into the local sports store, then." Bella mused as Sam laced his fingers with hers and they began walking backwards slowly. "See if I can't find you a nice coffee mug or new hat."

"That's my girl."

"Always will be, _Daddy_."

I smiled again and waved as they got into Sam's truck and drove away; leaving me in the quiet dark.

I let out a breath of air as I walked feeling alone and cold back to my car. I reached into my pocket and fingered for my keys while letting out a tired yawn.

"Charlie," His voice was both unexpected and unwanted, but still I stopped what I was doing and turned around irritably to face him.

"Edward." I sighed.

TBC


	26. Nightmares

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Twenty-Four: Nightmares

**Bella's POV**

"I love my Dad," I said with my knees pulled up to my chest as we pulled onto the freeway. "But him, constantly asking me if there's something I need to talk about… it just; without even saying what _it_ is makes me remember…" I said while shaking my head; Edward's face in my mind, his words and hands around me, holding me down… forcing himself into…

"Come here, Bella," Sam said gently as he wrapped his arm around me. "It's alright; you don't have to worry about that anymore, okay? We're going off, and we don't have to come back until you're ready."

"Yeah… you're right. This is ridiculous; if I keep drowning in the past then I'll never be able to live in the present. So, from now on, it's just me and you. No rape, or heartbreak or betrayal or Victoria or stupid mind-manipulation. Just us here, now. No Edward or Cullen's or vampires in general. Besides, I prefer mine big, warm and soft anyways."

"What's this _warm_ business?" Sam asked, shocked, as he signaled his lights and pulled us over to the far right lane. "Last I checked I was hot."

I laughed and snuggled up beside him.

* * *

My eyes shot open and I bolted upright with a hot flash of fear running across my skin. I blinked several times, confused to find myself layered in blankets and Sam sound asleep beside me breathing with a gentle snore and a small smile spread across his lips. The mattress beneath us was surprisingly soft for that of a Hotel bed, and the room also surprisingly cool.

Placing my hand against my forehead, I slid my legs sideways off the bed and scooted until my feet were grazing the ground while looking back to make sure Sam was still covered, though, with his body heat God knew it didn't matter. I just hated seeing him _looking_ cold.

I inhaled a deep breath and stood slowly; hugging myself as a small chill, yet an awkwardly comfortable one, came over me. I then let out a small and somewhat relaxing yawn while walking over to the curtains, where as I slid them slightly open saw the wide sea before me behind the serenity of the overly-large and peaceful looking, sand covered beach.

"What are you doing up Sweetheart?" Came Sam's voice softly from behind me; tired and groggy. I hadn't even noticed his snores had stopped.

"I can't sleep." I told him truthfully. "I keep waking up from nightmares; only this time I really woke up. All the other times I've just awoken and fallen right back to sleep. I guess I finally understand what you meant earlier about my sleep patterns.

"What time did we arrive?" I added while turning back to face him with my hands pancaked across my stomach.

"About ten-thirty," He told me with a yawn as I looked over to see the digital clock on the nightstand beside him read in neon blue 4:17 in the morning. "Come back to bed Bella, it's late." He said gently as he sat up slightly and held open the covers for me. I turned and pulled the curtains closed once more and then walked back over to him and climbed into bed and into his waiting arms, which securely wrapped me up and held me close. "What are your nightmares about?" He asked softly before kissing me softly on the forehead and sighing.

"I don't know," I told him softly. "When I open my eyes I forget. I just remember feeling scared, in a really unorthodox and uncomfortable way."

"Well try to get back to sleep, if it happens again just wake me up."

"I don't think it will if you just keep holding me." I told him.

He smiled widely with his eyes closed, "I call that a win-win."

"But, Sam?" I added.

"Yeah?"

"If you hold me like this… we've gotta shed a few covers, you're really hot."

He laughed before sitting up and throwing a few blankets from atop us to the floor. "Told you."

"What?" I asked as he lay back down and pulled me close once again.

"Earlier," He said tiredly. "On our way here in the truck, you called me warm, and I told you I was hot."

"Yeah," I smiled, "You did."

"Mhm," He sighed. "Try to get some sleep."

"Are you trying to tell me something?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"I'm sorry; I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night." He apologized. "We can stay up if you-"

"No," I chuckled. "I'm giving you crap for telling me in an underlying fashion to shut up."

"Oh," He mused.

"You can go back to sleep now." I whispered softly while running my fingers through his hair and looking at him contently.

"I love you," He said softly.

"I love you."

"Goodnight Bella."

"Goodnight." I told him before pulling my hand away from his head and resting it against his chest, where I then closed my own eyes, and, all the sudden exhausted fell asleep within moments.

* * *

"_It's beautiful here," I said softly as Sam and I looked out onto the water from the beach; the warm sand laced between my toes and his arms around me._

"_Yeah, it is." He agreed with a sigh._

"_I almost wish we could stay here forever." I added as the distant sound of gentle waves crashed against the shore and birds cawing from above._

"_We could," He whispered, "Just the two of us, here, always. We don't have to go back."_

"_I wish so much that we could. But I know we can't." I said sadly. "We have responsibilities there; friends, family… we couldn't just leave them behind like that. It's so reckless, so impulsive." _

"_It would be romantic; just the two of us together in the world, not a care or regret. Just us… this; beauty, freedom, happiness… love." _

"_It sounds just like a fairytale." I said as another wave crashed against the shore. I pulled myself away from him and looked out to the water and saw it beating rhythmically back and forth against the sand and for the first time as I looked around I realized we were alone. How odd, I wondered, for such a large and comfortable place. _

"_We could you know," He added again, though this time his voice had changed. It wasn't Sam who spoke now, but Edward. "Just take off, leave everything behind and travel the world together."_

"_I can't." I said with calmness. _

"_You can," He said as he stepped up to me and wrapped his arms around me, and knowing nothing else to do, I laced my fingers within his. "You don't have to worry about anybody else; no one else matters but you. But us. We don't have to share it with anyone; it can be just ours, and we can live in it together." _

"_What about Sam?" I asked. "And Charlie, Jacob… don't they matter? What about your family; Alice, Jasper… Carlisle." _

"_My family disowned me; they are nothing to me anymore. The only thing that matters to me is you." _

"_But what if I don't want that?" I asked him as a wave, louder than the others, crashed against the shore. "What if I want to live my own life; one where I am not tethered to anyone… one where I can just live it for me." _

"_I never made you stay Bella; I always gave you the option to choose your own life." He told me softly as he bent his head down to kiss my neck. "But Sam, imprinting on you how he did… that is the most selfish thing I have ever heard of." _

"_It wasn't selfish; he couldn't help it." I whispered as one of his hands traveled up my stomach and stopped over my breast, caressing and massaging it softly._

"_Couldn't he have though?" He asked me softly with his breath heavy on my neck. "Did he ever give you a choice to say no?"_

_I closed my eyes and squeezed his hand that was still held within mine before saying, "Edward… stop…"_

"_I would if you really wanted me to; you know I would never hurt you Bella." He said, and, after I responded with nothing, added, "See? I know you want it. I know you can't fight it." _

"_But I want to," I moaned._

"_Then why don't you?" He asked me as he slid his hand away from my chest and ran it back down my stomach and past my hips, where he then pulled up my skirt and slithered into my panties and from there slid into me with his icy fingers. I called out in a moan, and I could feel him beginning to pant. "See… you like it." _

"_Stop… please…" I said softly. _

_He slid his hand away from me and began walking away from me; up the beach and stopping just before the stone steps to the pavement. The sky then turned from a kind of purple to a kind of red, and looking around, I realized why._

_When I looked at him again he had blood running from the corner of his lips to his shirt, and a smile on his face reaching his bright, blood red eyes. "Edward?"_

"_It can be just us Bella," He said again. "Forever._

"_They were going to ruin everything. I'm sorry."_

_I looked out onto the beach again and saw the sand that had once been so smooth, so clean and soft, had turned blood splattered and haunting. "What have you done?"_

_A pile in the distance grabbed my attention, and I found myself walking to it with tremors filling me up. "Dad?" I asked as his familiar mustache face peaked out from the pile; eyes open and glassy. As I ran to the large heap of bodies I collapsed; Jacob, Jessica, Mike and Angela, Mom and Phil… Gran. They were all there. But where was Sam?_

"_However, I thought you might want to witness this one," Edward answered me, and as I turned he held Sam in his hands, and he bit down before I could even stand._

"_SAAAM!" I screamed; covered in sweat and panting as I bolted upright in bed. _

"_Shh," His voice came from beside me as his arms surrounded me. "It's alright Bella, I'm here. You don't have to worry about him anymore; he's gone. I'm here love, I'm here."_

_His arms were cold as ice…_

TBC


	27. Who

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Twenty-Five: Who

**Bella's POV**

The shower was like fire as it pounded against my skin; burning away the reality of my dreams, my nightmares of him holding me… touching me. It was too real, too recent, too fresh in my memory still, haunting me with its vividness and persistence. Consistently waking to only find myself still asleep; still dreaming, with Sam unaware of the demons plaguing me in my sleep only inches beside him.

"Bella?" He called from the other side of the bathroom door. "Are you alright in there, you've been in there quite a while?"

"Yeah," I called back. "I'll be out in a few minutes."

I wished I was. I wish I could just forget everything and just be here with Sam the way we had talked about. Living here, and being here for only us. But try as I might, the dreams, the memories and flashes of the past wouldn't leave me. It seemed every time I closed my eyes, if only to blink, I saw his face; heard his voice and felt his touch, his forcefulness to be inside of me…

I was so stupid to have asked him to stay after everything he had said to me about still loving me. _Loving__ me_. If that's what it's even called, you don't do something to someone you love like he did to me. He wanted to own me, he wanted to control me and have me as his puppet…

I opened my eyes and looked down at my hips and thighs, my shoulders, breasts; covered in bruises from him. My lips, pinker than usual from his lips pressed so tightly against mine were still tender and sore as I ran my finger tips over them.

What did I ever do for any of this? First Mike, then Edward… Edward was the one who had stopped Mike from raping me, and to turn around and do it himself. What, was he trying to make himself look like the hero who deserved a reward, or something? I never asked for his help, I never asked for him to love me. All I ever wanted in my life was to live, but what I was doing lately… it was surviving.

I rubbed my forearm and looked down at the now white scars that covered it and thought how stupid I had been to ever have done something so reckless. But at least now with them it was harder to point out the florescent pearl one from James… and Edward.

I swallowed back the lump in my throat as more memories came flooding to me, and instead thought into the more recent past of the first time Sam told me that he loved me; the first time he held me, the first time we kissed… made love. How he had always been there for me, not matter how stupid the reason, like an almost-cracked skull and a fractured shin… he was always there. Always protecting me.

"Bella?" He asked as his head poked in through the shower curtain beside me. "You've been in here almost an hour… are you sure everything's alright?" He added as his eyes looked over my bruised body.

"Yeah," I nodded softly. "I just haven't taken a shower like this for a really long time." I told him as I reached my hand up to his shirt and gathered it in my hand. "I love you."

"I love you," He whispered back as our lips came together. His arms encircled around me as I stepped backwards and he stepped forwards into the shower; uncaring that he was still clothed as the water came down onto him and soaked him through-and-through. I placed a hand against the side of the shower as he held me closely and kissed my neck softly with the water showering down on my back and the side of his face.

"You are so beautiful, Bella." He told me softly as he brought his head away from my neck and looked down at me.

Without knowing what to say, without wanting to ruin this moment with my stupid words I took my hand away from the shower wall and ran my fingers through his wet hair and looked deeply into his eyes.

I could feel him watching me as I pulled my eyes from his and began looking at his dark hair, his ears, his nose and lips, his neck.

"Can we stay like this forever?" I asked him as I again looked back into his eyes, and saw that he was indeed looking deeply into me.

"Bella," He said softly as he took his hand and slid it up my back and into the base of my hair. "We can do anything you want to do."

He brought his lips slowly down to my forehead and held me close, never loosing his grip.

My eyes filled with tears for pity for myself for not finding him sooner, and I was glad we were in the shower for this; I pulled him closer and told him to never let me go.

"Never."

* * *

_Meanwhile. . . . . ._

**Charlie's POV**

"Okay, now, Jake, calm down." I said again as I sat on the couch with my leg pulled up and folded across the other and an arm spread out across the back of the couch. "This is just as much a-"

"NO!" He boomed. "NO! IT ISN'T JUST AS MUCH A SHOCK TO YOU AS ME! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! I WOULD NEVER HURT HER! THAT PERSON, THAT _GUY_ YOU SAW; IT WASN'T ME! IT WASN'T CHARLIE! ASK BELLA, ASK SAM, ASK ANYONE BUT _HIM!_" He went on as he pointed his finger at Edward who sat calmly and contently across from me. "I HAVE BEEN IN CANADA FOR THE PAST –I DON'T KNOW! WHILE! HE IS LYING CHARLIE, DAMMIT, YOU HAVE NEVER LIKED HIM BEFORE SO WHY GO ON AND CHANGE YOUR MIND NOW! WHEN HE AND BELLA AREN'T EVEN TOGETHER ANYMORE!"

"Okay, Jake, you need to calm down right now." I repeated myself more firmly. "I am a cop and I have handcuffs and skills that I am not afraid to use if this doesn't end right _now_."

"Charlie," He said with strain as he stood stiffly. "Please, please, think clearly here. I have known Bella my whole life, she is my best friend and I love her and I would never, never hurt her.

"You know me, Charlie; you know I would never do this. He is lying, he is trying to turn you against me for reasons I don't know. But if you want to believe anybody, just not him."

"Jacob, I have thought about this. And the man I walked into forcing himself on top of my daughter was you. Yeah, I do know you Jacob, and that wasn't any lookalike." I told him.

"I – was – not – here - !"

"Jacob, if I may, I talked to Bella myself. And as you say, you have known her since you were born, which means she knows you just as well as you know her, and Charlie, and she knows it was you. So this story, this lie you're trying to get everyone to believe in, it's not going to work."

"There's no way out of this, son." I added in as Jake turned his back towards us. "I'm not going to kill you, hell, I'm not even going to disown you or hate you. All I want is the truth."

"And I have given it to you." He told me with fury. "I have given you the truth, Charlie. I have. And if you don't believe it, then don't. But you have known me my whole life, you have seen the way I have always been with Bella, how I have always stood up from her and protected her. I would never hurt her, and you sit there, saying you know me so damn much… I never did anything against her. If there is anyone who could have done something like this, it's him." He said as he again raised his finger towards Edward.

"Okay, okay, let's calm down here and not make any unnecessary accusations to-"

"No, it's my turn to talk Charlie." He cut me off. "I have always been there for her, _always_. But him? He hardly even knows her; I've seen the way he looks at her. The way he cringes up whenever Sam and Bella are holding hands or kissing or hugging or even sitting beside each other; I see where his eyes go when she isn't looking, I see the way his breathing changes when she's around.

"But most of all, I see how he looks at Sam. He looks at him with more rage and jealousy and hatred than I've ever seen anyone look at somebody else.

"When Edward and Bella are talking, I see the hope in his eyes, the _desire_ and _lust_ that's always there. And haven't you noticed how he's always the first one to be there whenever Bella hurts herself? Or is in a sticky spot? He is first on the scene even before Sam, now, what does that tell you? That he cares about her? Or that he is just some sick creep who is always following her every move, just waiting to get his chance to be with her again?

"But me; her best friend? I'm always the last one to know. So tell me Charlie, tell me, how is it that I raped her when I wasn't even in the same time zone as her? And also, don't you think it's ironic that the moment Bella goes away for a while he comes around, trying to win your approval and banish your respect for me? And out of all the things in the world he tries to convince you of something like this? Something, I think that he did himself.

"Now you're a cop, Charlie, surly you have heard of the 'Hero-Complex'? You know, that thing some criminals do to look the hero? The ones that commit the crime themselves, and then run in and save the day just to make people love him, or her? When in reality, how did they even get there so fast? How did they even know about it?

"I didn't even know Bella had left the state, so how was I supposed to know any of this? But more, how did he? And really think Charlie, when is the last time you remember even seeing him around her? Or remember Bella even mentioning his name?"

I let out a large breath of air and looked at the space on the floor between my legs and considered all of this seriously. Edward did show up at the same restaurant just after they had left, and how did he even know where we were in the same place? How did he know Sam and Bella were taking off for a time? I looked over at him, and he looked back and me emotionlessly before saying, "Bella did tell me what happened, Charlie."

I pulled in a mouthful of air and closed my eyes.

"Edward," I began slowly. "I need you to answer me one thing." He nodded. "How did you know what restaurant I took Bella and Sam to?"

"I followed you." He told me.

"You followed us?" I asked him.

"Yes." He told me again, and my silence led him onwards. "I knew what had happened to Bella, and I knew she wasn't going to tell you, so I knew I would have to tell you myself. But I didn't want Sam or Bella to see me, so I waited until they had gone."

"And you couldn't just wait until I got back to the house to tell me?" I asked him skeptically.

"No, I wasn't sure if they would be coming back and I didn't want to risk them seeing my car and stopping me telling you. So I took what I thought was the safer route."

"Let me say one thing here," I said irritably while pinching the bridge of my nose and squeezing my eyelids together. "One, or both of you is lying to me right now, and I shamefully admit I haven't a clue which one it is. So one of you had better fess up or this is going to be a very long night.

"No?" I asked after neither of them spoke. "Nothing? Okay then… might as well get comfortable, Jake." I said as I motioned with my hand towards a seat which he obediently took. "Now, if you two will be quite for just a minute. I am going to call my daughter."

* * *

**Bella's POV**

"Dad, hey, what's up?" I asked as I took a seat onto the bed with a small towel wrapped around me.

"Hey Sweetheart, I didn't hear from you last night. I was worried."

"Oh, I'm sorry! Dad, I swear I was going to call, but I ended up falling asleep on the drive over, and when I woke up it was like three in the morning." I told him truthfully. "I'm really sorry, Dad."

"It's alright, we're talking now.

"And, actually, there is another reason I called, Sweetheart." He admitted after a moment.

"Okay, shoot." I egged him on as Sam ruffled his wet hair with a towel before taking a seat beside me.

"Now, I am about to say a statement, and if I am wrong I want you to say something." He said, and I held my breath, wondering what on earth he was talking about, but at the same time already knowing what he was about to say. Sam took my hand in his and kissed my bare shoulder twice comfortingly.

"I know you were raped."

I stayed silent with unblinking eyes.

"Okay… okay…" He said softly. "Bella, Honey… I know you were raped." He said again softly, and I stiffed further still. "And now, the part I don't know, Sweetheart.

"I need to know who did this to you." Filled with shock and amazement of how he knew, I couldn't speak. "Was it Jacob?" He asked and waited a moment for my response, and after none, "Edward?"

"Yes," I found my voice airily. "Yes, Dad… it was Edward."

"Okay." He whispered. "I love you, Baby."

"I love you, Dad."

The dial tone was louder than thunder.

TBC


	28. Sam

**AN: **Happy Christmas!

* * *

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Twenty-Six: Sam

**Sam's POV**

"Bella," I asked softly after she had slid closed my cell phone and handed it silently to me. "Are you alright?" She shook her head, slowly at first, but then vigorously and I pulled her into my lap as she wrapped her arms tightly around my shoulders. "Shh, shh," I cooed her as she tightened her arms around me and sniffled her nose. "You're okay Sweetheart, I have you. I have you Sweetheart, I have you. Shh, shh.

"Shh, Baby, shh." I said softly before kissing her shoulder and hugging her tighter still.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

"Charlie, you must allow me to explain." I said once he had set the phone back to the receiver. "You need to hear my side of the story before anything. Please."

"Edward," He mused with a smile and laugh. "_Eddie_. My daughter, that is to say, the girl we have been discussing, or, as she is better known as, Bella… she just told me you raped her. So, there isn't a whole lot of explaining to do, now, is there?"

"I love her." I said quickly. "I love her." I said again. "I didn't rape her; I didn't do anything to her that she didn't want herself."

He let out a long, long sigh while turning his eyes upwards and clenching the beer bottle beside him. "You love her," he repeated. "You didn't do anything to her that she herself didn't want done." He laughed while picking up the bottle and tossing it back with his head. "That's, that's a good one, Eddie. Real good."

"I'll kill you." Jacob said from across the room with his fists clenched so tightly he was tearing open the chair arms and exposing aged white plush. "_I__ will __kill__ you, __leech_."

"Well now, Jacob, I can't say I agree with you more. But I think we can come up with more creative names here other than leech." Charlie smiled as he set his now empty beer bottle down and looked over at me.

"Edward, I want you to tell me what makes you think it's alright to rape my daughter, my Baby Girl, and then lie to my face about it."

"I love her." I said again.

"Yes, Edward –YOU'VE SAID THAT!" He boomed while throwing the empty bottle across the room, where it then shattered against the wall and flew shards of glass in all directions. "Now," he said while running his hand stiffly through his hair. "Will you please cut the bull shit and tell me the truth."

I stood and walked over to the front window with my hands deep in my pockets and paced back and forth slowly for a moment. And then, stopping, looked out the window at the empty street in front of the house. "I didn't mean for it to happen." I began. "I mean; not the way it did.

"I was protecting her while Sam was off taking care of some business with the others."

"Protecting her?" Charlie asked. "Protecting her from what?"

"From something I can't tell you about."

"Now you ju-"

"If you please; I am trying to explain to you what really happened." I said seriously. "I had taken her back to Sam's house, and we were up in his room; she on his bed and I pacing the floor before her. I was mad at myself for ever letting such a thing to happen…

"I was also mad at her, though, for not admitting to herself that she still had feelings for me.

"She was sitting there on the bed, and the next thing I knew I was on my knees, begging her to let me kiss her; to tell me she wanted me. And that's when she began scooting away from me; and I climbed on the bed and scooted towards her.

"She could see what was happening; she knew she couldn't stop it. But before I did anything I just wanted her to say it, I wanted to hear her tell me she loved me.

"She was begging me to stop; to stay away… she said no, but her eyes said yes. And I knew by her scooting away from me in the first place, by moving farther up the bed, that is to say, she was inviting me to follow her.

"And so I did.

"When I grabbed her she was struggling, but I knew it was just a way for her to be able to touch me; to feel me. So that later on, when she told people about it –though she knew she wanted it- she'd be able to tell people she fought me off, when in reality, she was pulling me towards her.

"I knew that once I was inside of her it would remind her of how much she loves me; of how she never stopped. It would make her know I am the one she really wants –the only one she wants, and that by my being inside of her it would make her want no one but me. Make her desire only me.

"I am nothing without her, and being with her would help remind her that she's nothing without me.

"After calling my name, and moaning out; arching her back… she climaxed for me, and I for her. And in doing so we became one, and without each other we wouldn't be able to live. We are each others lives now… we are bounded by love for eternity.

"And that's how it really happened." I finished as I turned to face him once more. "So you see, I didn't rape her. The only reason she told you that I did was so that she wouldn't feel so guilty for betraying Sam the way she did."

"Bounded for eternity?" Charlie asked me as he stood from his nest on the couch. "From you being inside of her. Is that how you see it now. Well, then, I suppose Renee and I are also bounded for eternity, and everybody else in the world who eve-"

"No," I corrected him as I cut him off. "Bella and I climaxed at the same time."

"Oh, well, excuse m-FUCK!" He shouted as he ducked while grasping his hand and huffing out breaths through bright red cheeks. "FUCK! FUCK! WHAT THE FUCK?"

"Wh-?" I began, but realized what had hurt him so badly and so reeled backwards and called out, "Ow! Ow, Charlie!"

"Yeah," Jacob mused softly. "A little late for that one, genius."

"What the fuck?" Charlie asked again as he looked over at me. "I think you broke my hand!"

"Well, actually, you hit me, so technically you broke your own hand." I corrected him before he shook it off and came running at me once more.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

"I've missed this." I breathed as I lay between Sam's legs with my bare feet buried and elbows dug halfway in the sand and face turned up towards the sky. "The sun; heat, I almost forgot how good it feels."

"It does feel nice," Sam agreed while leaning down and touching his lips to my forehead. "I've never really felt the sun like this before; warm, cloudless, consistent… it's a nice change from home."

"Before I moved up to Forks this was every day, only warmer and less sandy." I told him as I turned my head to feel his chest against the side of it. "This would be considered almost cold, even."

"I can't even imagine that." He huffed. "You mean every single day?"

"Yes." I nodded briefly. "Well, almost. In winter it can get pretty cold, and the mornings, of course. But in general it's always filled with heat and sun and blue sky."

"And you liked it?" He asked me as he wrapped his arms around my upper chest and hugged me.

"I loved it," I smiled. "I cried the first week after I moved every night, sometimes in the day even. The rain was so cold and depressing; there was no happiness to it. I felt like the world was crying all the time."

"I've never really thought about it like that. To me it's always just been the norm. Sun was always so strange and foreign, I even know a few people back home that stay inside moping around all day whenever it is sunny.

"I can't say I've ever taken it that far, about the rain I mean." I told him. "But I guess I have kind of gotten used to it, not saying I like it, but I have become accustomed to it."

"It's amazing how easily humans become accustom to changes in life." He noted. "I mean, if you take a wild animal from a-hundred-and-seventeen weather and put it into sixty degree weather it would probably die. But a human just gets uncomfortable and frustrated; irritated for a while, but then after a few months, or weeks even, they will have readjusted to it."

"Hm," I laughed. "That's debatable."

"Well, you did it."

"I never said readjusted, as you see, I am happier here in this weather than at home." I corrected him. "If I had readjusted I would be burning up right now. But at home I still feel awkward and uncomfortable."

"That's not without help though, is it?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you have me." He said. "And I'm not exactly Chilly-Willy."

"That's a good point." I smiled. "But I did fend for myself for a while, before we were together I mean."

"What about when we got together," he asked in a statement. "You were freezing, and the power was out."

"But you were there, so warm and comfortable."

"Comfortable?" He asked suddenly. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

"Yes." I nodded with my eyes closed and a smile on my lips.

"And that is?"

"That I am tired of discussing the weather."

"It better be," He threatened me as he pulled me up and I twisted myself around to face him on my knees, which was to say, sadly, eye-level. I placed my hands onto his shoulders and he pinched my sides softly and I called out my feelings of his tickling me.

"It is!" I said, laughing. "It is! It is; I promise! I swear!"

"Good." He smiled before we brought our lips together and kissed deeply; his arms wrapped around my waist as he hugged me against him and I slid my hands into his hair and around his head. "I love you." He breathed as we separated reluctantly.

"I love you." I said back just as breathlessly as I fingered his hair and we looked deeply into each others eyes.

"This is a public beach, for goodness sakes!" A woman hissed as she walked past us, her hand covering her young son's eyes. "Young people; no decency at all!" She added as she rushed away with her son struggling to keep up blindly.

Uncaring of the woman's words, we brought our lips together once more and kissed hungrily, tugging at each other and demanding our bodies to become as close as possible. His hands traveled under the back of my shirt and stroked my bare skin, and I shivered with desire as our mouths opened for each other and our tongues came together and danced feverishly.

"Sam," I moaned as he took his lips from mine and began kissing along my neck. "Sam, we shouldn't do this here. People, eyes, ears… laws."

* * *

He dropped me onto the bed gently before pulling off his shirt and tossing it across the room. He then climbed onto the bed and kissed me deeply, passionately, ravenously as I began fumbling with his belt buckle, and he with the buttons on my shirt.

"I don't care," I told him as our lips parted momentarily. "Just rip it." I leaned up and kissed his neck and nibbled at it tenderly as I pulled his belt from his pants and threw it onto the floor beside the bed.

"Bella," He moaned as he ripped open my shirt. "I love you; I want you. I want you so bad."

After I had successfully unbuttoned and unzipped his pants he took his hands and stripped off my shorts and panties and tossed them at the foot of the bed and then brought his lips down to my neck and began sucking at it. "I love you Sam." I said back as he looped his arm under my back and lifted me up to his chest, where we then kissed again as he slid himself into me.

I moaned into his mouth as I wrapped my arms around him and began moving my hips rhythmically with his. "I have to be closer to you Bella," He told me as he pulled himself tighter into me, and I called out, nearly screaming. "I - have - to be – closer, Bella. I - have to…"

"Sam," I moaned loudly as our movements quickened. "Oh, Sam! Sam!"

* * *

**Jacob's POV**

"Edward!" I hollered as I ran after him at full speed through the woods. "Edward, Edward you coward stop running! What, you couldn't force Bella to love you so you make her, such a man you are!" I called out, in attempt to provoke him to me. "You know she never really loved you; not the way she loves Sam. She wasn't even sad when you left, the only reason she was hurting all the time was because she wasn't with him. She forgot about you before she even had time to realize you were gone!"

"SHUT UP!" He called back as I halted in my bounds, a pleased grin on my face as he stepped before me. "Shut up, now! You filthy little mutt! You don't know a thing about love! You don't know a thing about Bella or me or the love we share for one another! You are stupid, weak and an insignificant little waste of human life!"

"Well now that I have gotten your attention." I smiled as I took a step towards him, and began with the smile gone. "I don't know a thing about love?" I asked. "I don't know a thing about love… well, if that's what you think, but let me tell you something I do know a thing or two about: people. Humans: living breathing bodies with souls and emotions and feelings and hearts and minds and opinions.

"And Bella? I know her more than anyone; more than myself. I know that if she doesn't want something, she'll tell you. She isn't going to just sit back and let it happen; not without a fight. And you? Her? Forcing yourself onto her and telling everybody -including yourself that it was her way to tell you she wanted you without words is… is the most pathetic thing I have ever heard of."

"You think you're so clever, don't you, Jacob?" He asked as he placed his hands onto his hips and looked over at me. "You think you have this all figured out, don't you?

"Bella does love me; she loved the feeling of me being inside of her. I could see it in her eyes as I held her."

"Held her down." I cut him off.

Ignoring me, he went on. "Her hands were I my chest the entire time, and her hips? They moved with mine, not against them. She moaned, her breathing was quicker, heart rate faster… When she –or, we- climaxed she screamed my name; screamed it so loud she had to place her lips against my neck just to muffle the volume.

"And she was crying, yes, I will give you that. But not for the reason you all think; she was crying because of how much she realized she loved me still and how she was mad at herself for ever pretending she could have ever loved anyone but me.

"So you see Jacob, you don't have anything at all worked out. She loves me, not Sam. She wants me, not Sam. She has always loved me and she always will; I was her first love and I hers. We will always be connected no matter what, we will always be on each others minds no matter what. When she sleeps she will be dreaming of me; when she is with friends or family or even Sam I will be the only thing on her mind.

"She is mine. She is mine, and I am hers. I will never give myself to anyone else, and she will never again feel the same way about him when he is inside of her because of how good it was with me. What her and I have is love, what she has with Sam is nothing. _Nothing_."

I clenched my fists at my sides and fought hard against what my instincts told me to do; what they were screaming at me. How every fiber of me wanted nothing more than to see him be torn apart and burned by my own hand. But I knew I couldn't do that yet…

"You really are sick, you know that?" I asked him. "She loves Sam; she loves him more than I have ever seen her love anyone. And he would die for her; he would do anything just to keep her safe and happy.

"Like you said, I don't know about love, okay, but that doesn't mean I can't call it when I see it.

"And Bella loves Sam. She does not love you, Edward. Not one bit.

"I thought I'd go to her house one day to surprise her, only when I got there I heard them… being intimate. She was moaning out, he was breathing hard. She was calling his name; saying how much she loved him and how she wished he'd come into her life sooner. And do you know what he said? He said that he wished the same thing, only it didn't matter about when they found each other because they were together now and always would be; how they'd never leave each other.

"I could hear them kissing and moaning and loving each other, and I knew then, I knew that there was no way she could ever love anyone but him. She sounded so happy, so content and perfect; radiant.

"I mean, do you even ever remember Bella laughing when you two were together? Before you left? Because I've gotta tell you, a day doesn't go by when those two aren't laughing and joking together. Cuddling, kissing… making love. I tell you, they can't keep their hands away from each other. But not because their a hormonal young couple, but because they love each other. Because they are in love with each other and they can't stand being away from each other; they can't stand being apart. You'd have to be dead to miss that, so, you, leech, I guess that's why you can't see it."

"She loves me." He told me stiffly, obviously affected by what I had relayed to him. "She is with him to get back at me for leaving her."

"Oh please, Edward. I used to pass by her house when I would be patrolling at night and I'd hear her crying out his name in her sleep… begging for him to hold her. And that was before they even saw each other, after the night that he found her, that is. You know, shortly after you left."

"No," He said before a low growl ripped up from his chest. "SHE IS MINE!"

"What I've been waiting for." I smiled as I jumped into the air and came crashing into him with claws extracted; clothes and human form forgotten.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

"Your skin's so soft." Sam whispered as he ran his hands slowly up and around my sides and back as I lay with my head resting over his heart; our legs entwined and the sliding door open to caress our half-exposed bare forms with a gentle breeze that fanned elegantly through the curtain.

A single old-fashioned street light illuminated the now darkened world outside our room as we laid quietly in each others arms; tired and content after having made love through noon until nightfall.

"I want to stay here forever." I told him softly as I traced my fingertips along his shoulder and chest. "I have never been this happy or content with anything in my life… all I want is this moment and I'll never complain again."

"You don't wish anything was different?" He asked me with a gentle sigh as he leaned down to kiss the top of my head, and then ran his fingers through my hair.

"No," I told him. "Everything is absolutely, positively, and incandescently perfect."

"I can keep you forever, Bella?" He asked me as he again began slowly caressing my back with his warm, smooth hands.

"All I want is you, Sam… I am yours forever." I told him as he readjusted himself, and I moaned out my protest.

"Bella, I love you with every part of me." He began as he pulled me up onto his lap.

"I know," I told him with a smile as he cupped his hand against my cheek and jaw bone. "And I love you."

He leaned into me and kissed me softly. "Bella… I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want every night to be like this; I want to make love with you, and hold you, kiss you and tell you how deeply in love with you I am… How I keep falling deeper every day. I want you to always be there for me, and I for you. I want to always protect and comfort you, I want to be with you when you're sick and kiss you when you're hurt… I want to lay with you in the sun and dance with you in the summer rain.

"When I wake up in the morning I want to see your face and kiss your lips, no matter how bad of breath either of us has." I laughed softly, and he went on. "I want to watch you get dressed and be with you when you get bad news, or happy news, to hold you or smile with you. And I want to smell your hair as you I hold you and kiss it when I'm holding you from behind… Bella, I don't want anything but this."

"How do you always know what to say so much better than me?" I asked him with moist eyes. "I thought the girl was supposed to be the one to express herself, leaving the man speechless and at a loss for words."

"I love you, Bella." He told me in a hush whisper with a warm and content look in his eyes as he placed his hand against the side of my face once more. "Marry me, Bella… be my wife."

TBC


	29. Yes

**AN: **Happy New Year!

* * *

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Yes

**Edward's POV**

"Give – it – back." I demanded as I stood across the clearing from him; clenching my arm at the shattered elbow as I watched him chewing along the arm he had ripped from me. "Now, Jacob. Give – it – back - !"

"_Not so tough now, are you, with an arm missing?" _He asked mentally as his big grotesque wolf lips curved into a smile. _"You really want it back?"_

"Now, Jacob!" I demanded again as I stepped forward. "Right now!"

"_No."_

"Fine," I told him as I reluctantly pulled my whole-arm back down to my side and hollered out in both pain and annoyance. "You know, I was only trying to make it easier for you. But now I see you are not going to just hand it over to me, so I guess I'm just going to have to take it by force. As it is, I will get it back one way or another."

"_Well then, come and get it pretty boy." _

I lurched forward.

* * *

**Sam's POV**

"Bella?" I asked as I ran my fingers over her hair. "Sweetheart… I'd really like you to say something."

"Didn't I?" She asked me softly as she placed her hand over mine and wrapped it up against her chest.

"No, Sweetie, you haven't said a thing." I told her as she took her free hand and looped it around my neck.

Staying silent, I looked deep into her eyes and told her softly. "I know you're only eighteen –almost nineteen, but I don't care, Bella. I don't care how young you are, or I am. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I know that we've only been together a short time, but I know I will never leave you, I know my feelings will never, never change for you. I'll love you forever, and I just want to know that you want the same thing… though I know I know it… I want you with me always. I want to have a family with you, and I want you to have my last name.

"I understand if you're not ready yet, but I just can't keep it inside of me any long-"

"Yes." She cut me off breathlessly. "Yes, Sam, yes." She breathed as she pulled me into her and kissed me deeply over and over again. "Yes, Sam," She said again as she wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly. "I'll marry you."

"I love you so much, Bella." I whispered through her hair, "I love you, I love you, I love you."

"I love you."

TBC


	30. Congratulations

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Congratulations

**Jacob's POV**

"Jacob," He begged as he looked up at me from the forest floor. "Jacob, you don't have to do this. I will never touch her again, I swear. I swear, I swear on all that I am. I swear on my Mothers' and Fathers' graves. I swear on Bella… I swear to you… I will never hurt her again."

"Is that so?" I asked him through heavy breaths as I began kicking his legs and arms towards his mutilated body, but keeping them far enough away so he couldn't reattach them. "Funny, because you didn't seem to hesitate when you thought it was me who raped her."

"That was because I… I…" He was struggling for words as I bent down to pick up my torn jeans, where I then fingered through the pockets in search for my box of matches I always carried with me… just in case…

"Just because you? You?" I mocked. "Just because what, Edward?" I asked him. "I mean really, did you honestly think you were that much better than me? That much stronger than me?" He remained silent as I knelt down beside him with the full box of matches held tightly in my balled hand. "I guess that animal diet you were so proud of didn't really pay off after all, did it?"

"Bella will never forgive you if you do this, Jacob." He told me seriously; pathetically.

"Oh I think she will," I said as I stood again, keeping my eyes locked with his. "I mean she did forgive you for killing me, after all. Only I'm not really dead… and I didn't really rape her; let alone try."

"She will never forget me Jacob; she will _never _forgive you. Never. I'm the first person she ever loved, and you never forget th-"

I smiled menacingly at him. "Are you sure you have your facts right, there, Edward? I mean, are you really the first person she ever loved?"

"Of course I am."

"Hm," I clicked my tongue as I placed my hands to my hips. "So, then, all those emails Bella and I sent to each other when she lived in Arizona –that is to say before she moved here- didn't really happen?

"Oh," I fake gasped, "Bella never mentioned them to you, then? Huh, weird."

"What emails…"

"The emails we had been sending to each other since I was fourteen, Edward. Oh, don't look so surprised, so upset. Yes, I was Bella's first love, and she mine. Only, unlike you, I have accepted the fact that she loves someone else now. I accepted it when she fell for you. Why? Because I truly care about her, and in doing so the most important thing to me is her happiness… No matter who it is making her happy. And I'll always care about her; _always protect her from people like you_."

"That's not tr-"

"Oh it is _very_ true, Edward, believe me. I wouldn't make something like this up, especially when it would be risked for other people to hear about it. Which, is to say, isn't really a risk seeing as everyone already knows. Well, everyone except you… until now, that is.

"Yes, Edward, Sam too." I said, answering the question that flickered to his eyes.

"But, anyways." I cleared my throat as I stood back up and slid open the box of matches and pulled out a single stick. "We did leave Charlie pretty clueless back there. And the quicker I get ride of you the sooner I'll be able to come up with some reason why –and how- we took off so quickly and suddenly. Also I'm pretty sure his hand is broken."

"Jacob, I swear to God if you do this!" He spat. "My family will-"

"Wait, your family?" I asked him. "I thought you said that they had disowned you?

"Yeah, I knew that wasn't a false memory." I shook my head as I slid the match across the rough bit of sandpaper along the side of the box and enflamed it into a hot, bright orange flame.

"Jacob," He said again quickly and hysterically as he began attempting to wiggle his immobile body away. "Jacob, Jacob don't do this! Jacob, please!"

"Sorry Edward," I shook my head slowly as I dropped the box of matches onto the ground beside me. "I can't say it was nice knowing you."

I flicked the match from my hand and watched as it flipped elegantly threw the air, and began its descent to his mangled body in an almost slow-motion sort of way.

"Goodbye Edward." I whispered.

"JACOB!"

* * *

"It certainly looks broken, Charlie." Carlisle said when he had finished wrapping up Charlie's swelling hand.

"Dammit! I was hoping for better news." Charlie complained as he pulled his hand against his chest and tried moving his fingers.

"Try not to move it, Chief." Carlisle warned him. "The bones are already broken, and trying to move them could wiggle them around and put them even more out of place than they already are."

"I'll do my best, Carlisle. Thank you." Her nodded as he hopped off the table Bella had herself sat at as Carlisle fixed her up on her eighteenth birthday, not so long ago. "And uh, to tell the truth, though I am thankful, my hand isn't the only reason I came over here tonight."

"Charlie, if this is about Edward-"

"So you know, then?" Charlie asked. "You know what he did to my daughter; my Baby Girl?"

"Yes." Carlisle nodded. "I know, all of us do."

"Well then, in that case… I'm not trying to tell you how to be a parent or anything, but I'd seriously consider taking away his freedom until he's thirty-five, or, I don't know... dead."

"Thank you, Charlie." Carlisle told him with a pat. "But it's been handled."

"And, one more thing. Now I don't mean to step out of line here or anything, but… do you know if Edward takes steroids?" Charlie asked him as they began walking from Carlisle's office to the front hall. "I hate to ask something like that, not only because it's illegal, but because he's your son. But, I tell you Doc, I've never encountered a face as tough as his… he didn't even know I'd hit him until I called out. And, also, sorry about hitting him…"

"You didn't do anything that he didn't have coming." Carlisle told him with a sigh. "And about the steroids, I'll check up on that personally." He lied as he opened the front door to let in a breath of warm summer air. "Now, take it easy with your hand tonight, and I will schedule you in for surgery within the next few days. Just give me a call at the hospital and we'll work everything out."

"Kay, talk to you later." Charlie said as he exited the house with a small smile. "And thanks again, Doc."

"Anytime, Charlie." Carlisle smiled as he watched the Chief walk down the steps and across the gravel path to his parked car.

"I hope Sam did kill him." Rosalie said suddenly with her arms folded across her chest as Carlisle turned to face his blonde daughter. "Or Jacob, or any one of those dogs. He will have deserved it."

"Kitty…" Carlisle said soothingly. "You don't mean that."

"The hell I don't!" She spat as she threw her arms out to her sides. "You know what he did to her! And as much as I didn't much like her I never would have wished this on her! Not on my worst enemy! Carlisle; Dad… the hell I wouldn't say it! The hell I wouldn't wish it! I'd have done it myself if I knew Emmett or Jasper or you wouldn't have stopped me!

"Or don't you remember what happened to Royce and his friends?"

"Of course I do, Rosalie." He said softly as he pulled his daughter into his arms and hugged her tightly and buried his face into her hair. "I will never forget."

"Neither will I." She said while hugging him back with wide, unblinking eyes.

* * *

"Charlie," I said as I jumped up from the porch and jogged over to his approaching figure. "I'm sorry about earlier, running off on you like that, I mean."

"That's fine, Jacob. To tell the truth I hardly noticed through the pain of my hand." He told me with a sigh. "Though, it was kind of hard to miss."

"How is it?" I asked as I motioned my eyes to his wrapped hand. "Did you have it looked at."

"Obviously," He said. "It's broken."

"I'd call that lucky." I said under my breath.

"What?"

"Nothing." I said quickly. "Nothing, Charlie. And um, actually, I've gotta call Bella, give her an update and everything."

"Well, might as well come inside. Hell, you can stay over; take Bella's bed, I know she won't mind as she's always at Sam's house anyways. And besides, I could use the company."

"Sounds good." I nodded as I followed him into the house.

"Great." He responded in a less-than-joyful way as he fumbled around with his left hand to find the house key.

* * *

"Your bed is really comfortable." I said into Charlie's house phone as I lay with an arm under my head while snuggled beneath Bella's blankets.

"Jacob?" Sam asked groggily.

"Oh, shit, I thought you were Bella?" I asked as I looked at the screen of the phone and read once more _Bella Cell_. "It says Bella…"

"Oh, yeah, Charlie has it in their like that because the easiest way to get a hold of her is to call me." He told me. "Anyways, what's up? Why are you calling so late? And, wait, why are you at Bella's?"

"Charlie doesn't want to be alone tonight." I told him with a sigh as I looked around at the attire on Bella's walls.

"Why? Is everything okay up there?" He asked.

"Well, it is now." I huffed. "But earlier… Charlie broke his hand from punching Edward."

"Damn… how'd that go?"

"It didn't really go at all," I told him. "Edward took off shortly after that and I had no choice other than to go after him."

"Oh, no, Jacob, please, _please _tell me you had the rest of the pack with you?"

"Yes _Mom_." I said irritably. "No! I was alone, and Jesus, what is it with everyone! I am fine on my own; I was good enough to take down Victoria _and _her friend with hardly any help." I told him while shaking my head. "So, it's no surprise I was able to get Edward, too."

"Wait, you killed him?" Sam asked with a suddenly stronger voice. "Wait, hold on."

"Why?"

"_Because_, Bella is asleep and I don't want to wake her. Just hold on so I can move into the bathroom."

"Oh, okay."

"Okay, so tell me what happened. Don't leave anything out." He commanded.

"Well there's really not much else to say." I told him honestly as I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes and began relaying everything to him.

"I've gotta say Jacob, I'm impressed." Sam said with a sigh. "The only thing I wish was different is that I wish I was there, too. Hell, I'm almost upset I wasn't… after what he did to her…"

"Yeah, well, thanks to me you don't have to worry about that ever again." I told him with a smile. "Now you and Bella can live in peace knowing that I've got your guys' back."

"Yeah, I don't know how to repay you, dude." He said with happiness in his voice.

"No need." I laughed. "Think of it as a gift."

"Yeah, and speaking of… No, wait, never mind. Bella will want to tell you." He said quickly.

"What?" I asked.

"No, forget I said anything."

"Okay," I laughed. "Take back what I just said, and repay me by telling me what you were about to say."

He let out a long breath of air. "Okay, I guess that's fair…"

"Yeah, so, what's up?"

"I proposed to Bella earlier tonight." He told me slowly.

"No," I said, sitting up and opening my eyes widely. "You're joking?

"You're not! Oh, whoa! What did she say?" I asked with a big smile on my face.

"Jacob… would I have told you that if she had said anything other than yes?"

"Of course not, no! I am just so…! Congratulations!" I said loudly. "Let me talk to Bella!"

"No!" He told me. "She's sleeping."

"So?" I said. "I'm her oldest friend, she won't care! Just, just let me talk to her for a minute. Come on Sam, be cool."

"Fine," He said after a minute. "Hang on.

"Bella?" I heard him say softly as her small breaths moaned out. "Sweetheart, can you wake up for a minute? Jacob's on the phone and wants to talk to you for a second."

"Jacob?" She asked sleepily. "What's up?"

"Congratulations, Mrs. Uley."

She giggled.

TBC


	31. Beautiful

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Beautiful

**Bella's POV**

The song was coming to its close, but neither of us seemed to notice or care as we continued swaying back and forth together in our small box steps.

Several red and purple candles had been placed around the room along with rose petals and large pieces of silver glitter, and Sam's skin glowed a beautiful, surreal caramel-honey color that was almost too beautiful to even be named. His hair was smooth and shiny as I ran my hands up the back of his neck and laced my fingers through it.

"Bella," He said softly as our song came to an end and he led me slowly over to the bed, where he then spun us around elegantly and sat me onto the edge of it and kneeled himself before me. "You are so beautiful, and so perfect, and I love you."

"Sam," I told him softly as I reached my hand out and placed it against the side of his face. "I have already told you, yes." I smiled.

"I know," He smiled. "But you haven't given me the chance to give you your ring yet."

"Sam," I whispered as I brought my lips down to his. "I don't need a ring; all I need is you. All I want is y-" He placed his index finger across my lips to silence me, and I smiled at him.

"Bella, I love you with my whole heart. I never want to be apart from you, ever. I want to spend my entire life with you…" He recited as he pulled his hand away from my lips. "…I will never leave you; I'll never hurt you. I will always protect you, and I'll always be yours and only yours… Will you marry me?" He asked again, and as I looked down to his hand I saw a black velvet box, held open and in it a sparkling diamond ring shown up at me.

"Yes," I breathed softly as he pulled the ring easily from its resting place and set the box on the bed beside me.

It was beautiful; too beautiful. The center diamond was square shaped and sat snugly between two smaller diamonds on either side of it, and along the band there were several even smaller diamonds in a straight line. And as I looked at it closer I saw that the center diamond was not only kept company by the two side-piece diamonds, but by several minuscule diamonds bordered around it. The ring itself looked too shiny and flawless to be silver, too glossy. If I didn't know any better I would have guessed it to be white gold.

"It's really beautiful, Sam…" I told him softly as he held my left hand safely in his and slid the ring slowly onto my finger. I smiled at how perfect and comfortably it fit.

"It was my Great-Grandmothers." He said softly. "When she gave it to me she made me promise her that I'd give it to the woman I loved more than myself."

"Sam." I said softly as I peeled my eyes away from my new ring and cupped my hands onto his shoulders.

"Yes? Bella." He asked as he looked deeply into my eyes and leaned in closer towards me with his hands on opposite sides of the bed, framing me.

"Make love to me."

* * *

"So, what's the damage?" Jacob asked as Charlie came walking into the house, clenching his freshly-wrapped hand against his chest. "Are we broken? Sprained? What."

"All of the above." Charlie sighed. "And some more… damn that kid's got a hard head! I've got five broken bones, three hair-line fractures, three cracked knuckles, a sprained wrist and a couple of shocked tendons."

"Well," Jacob sighed as he pulled himself up from the kitchen table and walked over to him. "Look at it this way; at least you know how to hit. Considering all the damage your hand took, think if his head wasn't hard: You would have fucked him up."

"Yeah, well, he does. And I have surgery to look forward to, and not to mention time off from work, Doctor's orders."

"How long?" Jacob asked as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the kitchen counter.

"A month?" Charlie guessed. "I don't know. However long it takes to heal, so, anywhere from that to four months. And I guess it isn't real time off or anything, but from now until healed-point I'm desk-man… which is any cops worst nightmare. So, call it as you will, I call that time off."

"Just think of it this way, your hand there is going to make Bella happy."

"How's that?"

"Well, you finally surpassed her worst-injury record."

Charlie chuckled and looked down at the floor. "Yeah, yeah I did. I'm sure she'll be real proud, ecstatic, even."

"Especially seeing how you got it." Jacob said calmly. "I'm not trying to bring up the unpleasant-recent past, but you shattered your hand sticking up for her. I know that'll mean a lot to her, Charlie. You did it protecting you daughter, and I know Dad's do that, but I think your hand there takes the cake."

He nodded and brought his eyes back up to meet Jacob's. "Thanks kid."

"Anytime, Gramps." Jacob said back, and Charlie chuckled while scratching the back of his head with his good hand.

"Hey, um, and speaking of Ass-Butt, where'd he run off to?" Charlie asked. "I haven't seen or heard about him since that day?"

"Oh, I don't know." Jacob lied, and internally made fun of Charlie for _Ass-Butt_. "He took off so fast, and by the time I got into the woods he was nowhere to be seen or heard. I thought about going in after him, but it was getting so dark I decided to put it off and hope that maybe a wolf would get to him and take care of the job for me."

"Well, we can only hope." Charlie tilted his head before pouring himself a cup of still-hot coffee. "Because if he comes around again, well, I really like still having at least one functional hand, it would be a shame to loose the other one, then I'd really be a stay-at-home-Dad for a while.

"And speaking of Dad, I'm gonna go ahead and call Bella, give her and Sam an update. See how they're doing… you gonna stick around, or…?"

"I don't know, I was thinking about heading back to my house. But if you'd want me to st- I'll go pop in a movie." He cut himself off as he saw Charlie disappointed look.

"Great, I'll bring in some popcorn and brown soda when I get off the phone with Bella. And speaking of, you'll probably have better luck with a more entertaining movie from her collection, that is of course, unless she's taken them all to Sam's."

"Ah, yeah… I'll see what you have." Jacob laughed as he backed himself out of the kitchen and headed for the living room as Charlie walked over to the kitchen table and pulled out his cell phone.

* * *

"It's your Dad." Sam said softly as he handed me his buzzing cell phone, and I pulled myself away from him and wrapped myself in the thin sheet that had ended up bunched at the foot of the bed while he covered his waist with the comforter.

"Dad, hey." I said as I buried myself against Sam's side once more and he kissed the top of my head.

"Hey Kiddo, how are you two doing down there?" He asked as I looked up at the ceiling.

"Good, Dad, we're doing really good." I told him softly as Sam hugged me and nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck and kissed me softly. "How about you? Is Jacob still hijacking my room?"

"He is, yes." He laughed. "In fact we were just getting ready to watch a movie, I told him he'd have better luck with your collection, but then I thought they'd probably all be at Sam's…"

"Oh, yeah, I wouldn't doubt that."

"Yeah, that's what he figured, so he went ahead and headed to mine."

"Oh, yikes, tell him good luck for me."

"Hey now, it isn't _that _bad."

"Yeah, okay, if you like martial arts movies from the nineteen-sixties and seventies where they still slapped sticks against walls to make slapping sounds, and of course your action movies where they used toy models for explosion scenes. But you know, to each his own." I chuckled.

"Now those are classics you are insulting, Bella."

"Classics?" I asked. "Oh I'm sorry, I was still mistaking _A Christmas Carol _and _The Sound of Music _and _Some Like It Hot_, _The Phantom of the Opera _and _Peter Pan_ and _The Exorcist_ for classics, but excuse my mistake."

"Oh," He sighed. "You mean movies _you_ have."

"Precisely."

"Which are?"

"At Sam's."

"Exactly, so, if you please… we'll stick to cheese and availability."

"Okay." I laughed.

"Okay," He sighed. "Well, I think I'm gonna let you got now. Get back to your vacation."

"Alright, I'll talk to you later Dad." I sighed back as Sam ran his hand beneath the sheet and caressed it along my bare stomach.

"Bye Bella. Oh," He added quickly. "Do you have any idea when you two will be headed back home?"

"Oh, um, no, we hadn't really thought about it." I said with my eyes closed as Sam began kissing my neck softly in a horizontal line from my collar bone to the base of my ear. "But I can't imagine it will be that much longer."

"Oh, okay. Bye now."

"Bye Dad." I said before clicking the _End _button and placing it on the nightstand. "Sam… I was on the phone with my Dad." I whispered as I ran my hands into his hair and tilted my head backwards.

"I know." He said while continuing to kiss my neck. "But you were almost done. And besides, he doesn't have hearing like I do."

"I know, but it's still weird." I moaned softly. "Having you kissing me; touching me like that, and having my Dad's voice talking to me… it's extraordinarily awkward."

"I'm sorry," He apologized as he pulled himself closer towards me and ran his hand down my stomach once more. "But I couldn't help myself; you're right in front of me, begging to be touched."

"Oh, I didn't realize." I said as I turned my head towards his, and kissed him softly. "I'll have to be more careful next time."

"You better." He whispered as he gently rolled himself atop me and kissed me deeply while falling between my legs. "Because next time I might not be as subtle about it." He added before kissing me once more.

"Is that so?" I asked him playfully while wrapping my arms around to his back as he looped his arms around my shoulders and held me closely.

"Yes," He told me softly as he slid himself into me. "It is."

I moaned and pulled him close.

TBC

* * *

**AN: **Bella's Engagement / Wedding ring has a link on my profile. :)


	32. Oops

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Thirty: Oops

**Bella's POV**

"I love you." I whispered in the darkness outside my house; warm and safe in Sam's arms.

"I love you." He whispered back before leaning down to kiss me deeply. "Are you sure you shouldn't have called your Dad before coming back?"

"Yeah," I nodded before kissing him again. "I want to surprise him."

"Okay, but," He asked while bringing my ringed finger up between the levels of both our eyes. "You don't think the ring will be enough of a shock?"

"I think that my Dad is about as observant as a bind bat, actually," I laughed with Sam. "So no, actually, I don't think he'll even notice. He'll just be so focused on me being back he won't pay attention to details such as jewelry."

"Okay," He breathed before kissing me. "I'll be back tomorrow. I love you."

"I love you." I smiled. "And you better."

"Ooh," He purred as he took me hands and pulled them to his shoulders and around his neck. "Was that a threat?"

"Maybe." I whispered before grazing my lips over his and taking a step forward. "Maybe not."

"Huh," He breathed as he ran his lips over mine; sending chills down my back. "Maybe I shouldn't risk it."

"Yeah, maybe not."

* * *

"I love you." I told him as he held me high in his arms and walked backwards to my bed.

"I love you." He whispered as I reached my lips down to his before placing my hands onto the base of my shirt and pulling it up over my head. "You're so beautiful." He added as he set me down gently onto my bed and began pulling down my black sweatpants.

"Oh my God," I sighed as he pulled his black T over his head and tossed it onto the floor beside mine.

"What?" He asked as he bent his head down and began kissing my neck sensually.

"This bed is _so much more _comfortable than the one at the motel." I told him softly, and he laughed softly before bringing his lips back down to mine.

"I love you, Bella." He said after a few minutes after tender kisses. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Sam." I whispered as he rolled himself atop me and kissed me deeply while falling between my legs.

I let out a long, soft moan as he filled me and pressed my lips against his neck as he began making slow, rhythmic movements. I moaned with every movement he made and his breathing became harder and faster, and I found myself beginning to spasm with pleasure against him. He smiled and told me he loved me as I wrapped my hands around his shoulders and pulled my body as close to his as I could.

"Uh, Sam," I panted. "Sam… Sam… Sam…"

He repeated my name, and preventing each other screaming and waking up my Dad, we pressed our lips hungrily against each other and climaxed together.

"Sam," I breathed, "Oh, Sam."

He rolled his body away from mine and wrapped his arms around me as I turned to face my window. He pulled the sheet up over us and I whispered how I loved him.

"I love you, Bella."

I let out a sigh as I pulled my arms up and rested them atop Sam's. But as I breathed in once more, and then released another breath, I thought: _My breath is hitting more than air…_

Concerned that not only was my breathing reflecting off of something, but feeling that there was also something breathing on me, I opened my eyes and…

"_AAAHHHH!"_

"Whoa!" He called before letting out a scream of his own and falling backwards onto the floor. "What the hell! Bella! Sam! What are you two doing back?"

"Bella!" Sam shot up and pulled me closer.

"Jacob!" I hollered. "What are you doing in my bed!" I asked as Sam blocked my body from Jacob's with his own while pulling the sheet up over his waist.

"I'm here because your Dad –oh, Sam your shirts not on… neither is anything else; except that sheet around your… Bella, why are you covering yourself, oh, oh, fuck… please tell me you didn't, oh, God, please tell me you didn't… not with me in the, oh, shit…"

"Jacob!" I demanded again. "What are you doing in my room still?"

"I tried to tell you!" Jacob wailed. "Before I realized that I was sleeping next to you two… you two… you two _doing it_… that your Dad asked me to stay for a few more days! You don't have a guest room! I thought you knew! Oh, why didn't you call?"

"You've been here almost two weeks!" I shrieked. "We may not have a _guest room_ but we _do_ have a couch you know!"

"Jacob," Sam gasped, holding his hand out towards him. "Jacob, I am so… so… So sor-"

"Don't say you're sorry!" Jacob quickly cut him off. "We're just going to not talk about it anymore, and I am going to walk away, and cry myself to sleep not remembering what just happened in your bed as I sleep on the couch. Downstairs. Not near either of you…"

"Maybe we should have called." Sam said as the two of us stood frozen against each other with our eyes locked on the door after Jacob had gone.

"Oops."

TBC


	33. Protecting

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Thirty-One: Protecting

**Bella's POV**

"Hey Bells," Jacob said after I had stepped from the bathroom the next morning. "Feel like spending a little time together before your hubby wakes up?"

I laughed softly –wanting to correct him and tell him Sam and I weren't married yet, but at the same time I was filled with irrefutable happiness at the sound of: _your hubby_.

"Yeah, sure," I nodded while smiling over at him. "Just let me write Sam a note real quick so he won't worry; I'll be right back." I told him as I pulled my hands from my back pockets and headed for my room, where I found my Sam fast asleep with a content look on his face. And try as I might, I was unable to keep myself from kissing his forehead and gently running my hand over his messy hair.

_Sam, _I began writing as I pulled a notepad from my top desk drawer, _I didn't want to wake you, you looked so peaceful… I went out with Jacob for a little while to have some friend-time and should be back before you wake up, but if I'm not I love you. -Your Bella_

"Ready to head out?" Jacob asked as I walked back into the hall after looking back at Sam one last time.

"Yeah," I nodded, "Where are we going?"

"First Beach," He told me as I followed him down the stairs. "It's always so beautiful in the morning and there is hardly ever anyone there, if any, so I figure it'll be a good place to hang out for a while." He told me as we rounded the ground floor and headed towards the kitchen, where I then pulled a peach Snapple ice tea from the refrigerator and began shaking it.

"Do you want anything?" I asked as I twisted the lid from my drink.

"No, I'm good." He laughed. "Besides, I probably ate half the food –if not more- in your house while you were gone."

"Yeah, no kidding," I considered as I looked into the open pantry while taking a long swig of tea. "Sorry," I said as I wiped my lips and screwed the cap back on my now half-empty bottle. "Thirsty. Ready?" I asked.

"Ladies first," He said as he extended his hand towards the front door.

I crossed my arms over my chest and tapped my foot on the floor impatiently and said, "Well Jacob, any day now."

"Wh-" He began asking, but then stepped back with a smile on his face as he looked down the hallway. "Nice Bella, _nice_."

I laughed while playfully shoving his shoulder and walking past him. "Who said I was joking?" I asked before quickening my pace at the sound of Jacob's fast-approaching footsteps.

"Oh really?" He asked as I felt my feet lifting from the ground as he swung me over his shoulder, and I called out a squeal before laughing. "Is that so, Mrs. Uley?"

"I don't know," I said as he pulled the front door open with me still slung easily over his shoulder. "But you've been living in a girl's room for the past two weeks and showering with her product." I suggested as he jogged down the steps and stopped at my truck, where he then placed me back down to my feet and looked down at me confusedly.

"How'd you know?" He asked while pulling his arms up and crossing them over his chest.

"Wait, seriously?" I asked, all joking aside, as I looked up at him with wide eyes.

His lips pulled up into a wide grin, "Got you." He whispered while squinting his eyes and placing his forehead quickly against mine and then opening and jumping into the drivers' side of my truck. "Let's burn some rubber, come on."

I stood there for another minute before letting out a defeated sigh and jogging around to the passengers' side of my truck and hopping in. "Here, you probably need my ke-" I began saying _key_ but silenced myself as the familiar sound of my truck roared to life.

"Yes?" He asked as we began backing out of the driveway, and I quickly buckled myself in.

"How do you have a key to my truck?" I asked as he changed gears and began heading down the road.

"You forget Bella, this used to be my Dad's truck before it was yours." He laughed as we picked up speed. "And besides, I _have _been staying at your house for the past couple of weeks and needed a way to get around. Your Dad hates motorcycles and I'd prefer he _didn't_ know I was driving an uninsured self-refurbished car."

"Like my Dad would care, you're family."

"True as that may be, he is still a cop." He said as he looked over at my with his eyebrows raised. "And love me as he might, my car is illegal and he would be first to check. And if I had my rabbit taken from me I don't know what I'd do."

"Jeez, you'd think you birthed it." I shook my head.

"I did!" He proclaimed. "Did you see it before I came into its life? Poor baby, it was abandoned and neglected and left for death."

"Oh, Jacob," I sighed softly with a smile while looking from him to my window. "My silly, silly Jacob."

* * *

Leaving our shoes with the truck, we made our way down the beach silently as a gentle breeze caressed our bodies and the sun –which would soon disappear into the gray sky of bleakness- began rising from behind the gently moving water.

"It is beautiful here," I said as I looked out onto the sunrise, and I could feel Jacob look over at me with a smile. "I can't believe this is the first time I've come here –in the morning I mean."

"It is picturesque." Jacob sighed as we headed further down the beach towards our log. "And I guess I'm so used to it now that it never really crossed my mind that you hadn't seen it before."

"I have now." I said, wishing that Sam were with me, but at the same time enjoying time alone with Jacob. I smiled over at him as we sat ourselves down, and I pulled my knees up against my chest and hugged them into me while Jacob sat with his legs lying flat out against the sand.

"So, Bella," He said slowly as he peeled his eyes from the sand to mine. "I know that I am more than likely going to regret asking you this… but last night, you and Sam…"

I nodded my head slowly, "Yes… we had sex with you in the same bed." I said bluntly, now finding the situation humorous more than anything. "And I must comment friend; you truly do sleep like a rock."

"Okay!" He said quickly while looking out onto the shore and then down to his hands. "Just had to ask, Jacob… just had to ask…"

"At least you won't have to wonder about it anymore."

"Yeah, no, nope… No wondering, no, none at all." He nodded while biting his bottom lip.

"And hey, at least you didn't see anything." I threw in. "I mean you could have witnessed us in the act, I'd thank God you sleep as hard as you do."

"Hard, _oh_, _please_ don't say that word right now Bella, please." He begged. "I may have not seen the two of you _doing it _but I saw more of Sam that I could have gone my whole life not seeing. And you, well, I'm not going to lie I am a guy so I am not exactly complaining about what parts of you I saw, but I'm not exactly happy about it either as you are Sam's and what I saw was not for my eyes to see. And I guess what I am trying to say is that I saw enough to have nightmares for the next few weeks…"

"I feel like there is something you're not telling me?" I said as his eyes went from my hands to his, and back again. "Jake?"

"I was having a sex dream." He said bluntly. "And I am really upset about it because now I know _why_ I was having a sex dream, I must have heard the two of you panting and moaning and my mind took it in as a _Jacob sex dream_."

"Wait… who was the sex dream with?" I asked, and his persistent stare spoke louder than any words. "Oh my," I gaped. "Now I could have gone _my_ whole life not knowing that."

"Well, we'll call it even then." He suggested, and I nodded from my nest in the sand. "And also… talking about last night isn't exactly the only reason I brought you out here, Bella."

"I kind of knew that already," I told him honestly. "I could see in your eyes you meant to talk about something, something more serious…" I trailed, and he looked out onto the shore once more.

"Don't get me wrong Bella, I _love _spending time with you… but there is something that I have to talk to you about, and I had to tell you myself, in private."

"Okay," I said as I released my legs and allowed them to flop open to butterfly wings. "I'm all ears. What is it Jacob?"

He let out a breath of air and closed his eyes, he then pulled himself to his knees and scooted over towards me, where he then took my hands in his and looked me in the eyes. "It's about Edward, Bella."

"Okay," I swallowed. "What about him?"

"Now before I go on Bella, please, please, I have to hear you say that you won't ever hate me Bella. If you did I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"Okay," I nodded while looking up at him, our hands still entwined. "No, never Jacob, I'd never hate you."

He took in a deep breath of air, and then began telling me how after Charlie had called me to confirm that I was raped Edward went on into this crazy speech of the two of us being connected for life –after having been blamed for raping me by Edward in the first place. He told me how that was how my Dad broke his hand so badly; by punching Edward in the face. And then, how he and Edward had ended up in the woods, and how Jacob had torn him limb from limb, and in the end, killed him.

I was speechless -staring blankly at Jacob's chest as he took his hands from mine and cupped them softly around my face. "Bella," He was saying softly, genuinely, "I would never do anything to hurt you. I knew what he did to you and I knew how lucky you were to come out of it with only bruises… he could have killed you, Bella. He could have killed you, and Sam would have had to live without you, and me, and Charlie.

"I did it because I knew it was the only way to protect you, Bella. He was going to come after you again and again and again and he was never going to stop. He was going to try to get you alone again and rape you again, he was going to turn you and then as you were in transition he was going to take you somewhere no one would ever think to look.

"And though Sam or me -or anyone else from the pack for that matter- would never let that happen… he would always have hunted you Bella."

"You were protecting me." I voiced softly while pulling my moist eyes up to meet his. "You were only protecting me."

"Yes, Bella," He told me softly. "And I will keep doing it until the day I die."

With more grace than I could have ever imagine myself capable of doing, I kicked my legs back towards the log behind me and pulled myself up to sit on my knees and wrapped my arms around Jacobs shoulders. He looped his arms around my waist and hugged me back tightly and said through my hair, "I love you Bells, and I won't let anything happen to you… not if I can help it."

"I know that Jacob," I told him softly as I pulled him closer and tighter, "And I am so sorry I ever thought otherwise. I am so, so sorry."

"It's okay Bella," He said softly as he buried his head further into my hair. "I forgive you."

We stayed like that for the next ten minutes.

TBC


	34. Dad

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Thirty-Two: Dad

**Sam's POV**

"Sam," Charlie said with a cheerful smile as I made my way into the kitchen with a yawn still exiting my lungs. "When did you two get back?" He asked, setting his newspaper down onto the table.

"La- la- last night," I told him while running my hand through my hair and walking over to join him at the table. "Around two."

"Two? Wow, a bit late wasn't it?" He wondered as I took a seat across from him.

"Yeah, it was more an impulse decision than anything. I suggested calling but Bella wanted to surprise you."

He chuckled softly before taking a sip from his steaming cup of coffee. "Where is she, anyways? Still in bed?"

"No, actually," I told him as I looked longingly at his cup of coffee, and with a nod he tilted his head towards the coffee pot on the counter. "She went out with Jacob this morning." I went on while walking over to pour myself my own cup. "I actually haven't seen her, she left a note saying she'd be back before I woke up, but, I guess they're having a good time."

"That's good," Charlie nodded with a smile as I sat back down with my steaming cup cradled in my hand. "For both of them; they haven't spent much time together lately."

"I agree," I said while sipping coffee into my mouth. "Definitely, yeah, they need to spend more time together. They're best friends, but haven't really been seeming like it lately. So it's good, I'm happy for her. And him… and uh, actually, it's good for us too."

"How's that?" He wondered as he folded his newspaper up and tossed it into the recycling pile beside the back door.

"Well with Bella spending quality time with Jake it gives us a chance to have some of our own."

"Yeah," He nodded. "Yeah, I suppose it does…" He trailed, looking out the window and folding his good hand over his casted one.

"Oregon was great." I suggested, "And Bella really needed it after… after everything that happened."

"Yeah," He nodded with suddenly moist eyes, "Yeah, I know she did."

"And you have to know Charlie, I trusted Edward," I told him. "I trusted him and I shouldn't have, and I am so, so sorry that I let that happen to your daughter, Charlie. I love her, and I would rather die than ever let her get hurt like that again."

"I know Sam," He sighed while smiling over at me. "I know. But, there's nothing we can do about it now other than accept that it happened and move on. I mean yeah I'm pissed it happened and I'll never forget it happened; she's my Baby Girl, but, there's really nothing we can do now other than make sure it never happens again and that Edward doesn't come anywhere near her."

"Yeah," I nodded, remembering what Jacob had confided in me, "Yeah I don't think that's going to be a problem anymore." He looked at me, and I quickly came up with, "I just mean that I will never let that happen. If I see him anywhere near her, well, just know he won't be able to touch her."

"As long as we can both promise each other that same thing."

"I promise on my life."

He nodded and took a quick drag of his coffee. "Same here."

* * *

"Does my Dad know?" Bella asked after she and Jacob had climbed back into her truck and began making their way back. "About Edward, I mean…" She trailed.

"What," Jacob mused as he looked over at her struggling to force her shoes back on. "What you mean that he's dead?"

"Yeah," She breathed as she kicked her feet back to the cab floor and slid on her seatbelt. "Yeah, that."

"Oh, oh absolutely," Jacob joked as he pulled onto the main drive. "Yeah, I just went up to him the next day and said, 'hey Charlie, you don't have to worry about Edward coming around Bella anymore because I killed him in the woods last night. I tore off his arms and legs, relished for a bit, and then set him on fire. Oh, no, no need to thank me, it was a pleasure.'" He finished, looking over at Bella with playful eyes.

"Okay yeah that was kind of a dumb question."

"Just a bit," He scrunched his nose. "But no, your Dad doesn't know anything. All he knows is that he hasn't seen or heard from him since that day. Other than that…"

"Okay, just make sure there's no missing person report filed or anything."

"How could there?" Jacob wondered as he took a left and pulled onto the drive towards Charlie's. "First off, the Cullen's kicked him out and they were the only family he had. And second, who the hell cares? Bella, after what he did… no one would even care. Besides, it's not like this is the first time he's taken off without word. And plus I've done the same thing; I don't remember ever seeing my face on a milk carton."

"That was different Jake; with _you_ there was a vampire working with Victoria to make everyone think you were still here with his mind. And the whole Edward thing, his family went with him last time. They just moved, remember?"

"Yeah, well, I learned my lesson about keeping my mouth shut before taking off," Jacob said as they pulled into Bella's designated parking space. "And with Edward, yeah he did go with his family last time, but the only way there would ever be a missing person report filed would be if his family _reported _it. And they kicked him out, so if they're going to file anything it would be a restraining order for not staying gone. Which - needless to say - won't be a problem.

"Now, will you stop worrying about me and come inside?" He asked while killing the engine.

"How'd you know I was worried about you?"

"Please Bella, I was the last person to be alone with him," Jacob shook his head. "I know you too well, I'd think the same thing if it were reversed. We're too alike, you have no secrets."

"Touché," Bella mused as she pulled off her seatbelt and looked over at him and let out a small, "Hm."

"What?" He wondered as he slid off his own seatbelt.

"Well you said I have no secrets…" She told him slowly, "So I am wondering… what do I think about when I see Sam wearing only a-"

"That's uncomfortable," Jacob cut her off as he turned his head away from her and fiddled with the keys.

* * *

I laughed softly as Bella and Jacob's footsteps approached the door. "No," Bella was saying, "I really am curious Jake, you said you know everything –well, not in so many words- but still, what do I think?"

"I'm hungry," Jacob ignored her. "Aren't you hungry? I could go for ten steaks right about now…"

"Come on Jake," She persisted as the pair stepped inside, "I'm curious… tell me."

"Mm, I'm curious too," I smiled as I stood up to greet her with hungry lips. "Tell me,"

"_You _were not supposed to be eavesdropping, Mr. Superior Ears," She smiled, wrapping her arms around me as our lips parted.

"I didn't mean to," I told her before leaning down to kiss her again, "But as soon as I heard your voice I couldn't focus on anything else. Well, that is until I heard you talk about me wearing only a, what was it?"

"Oh, please Sam, don't encourage her," Jacob begged while looking in the fridge.

"Maybe it'll teach you to leave my Baby's privacy alone," I suggested, and Jacob rolled his eyes.

"Sex!" He proclaimed. "I get it, you guys have it! Hell, I was in bed when you did it last night, okay! Bella, I am sorry… you have secrets. Now, can we please move on?"

"Okay, so I walked in on the absolute perfectly wrong time," Charlie sang as he stepped into the room.

"Oh, hey Charlie, are you ready to go?" I asked with my arms still wrapped around Bella's front, holding her from behind.

"More than you know," He pouted.

"Go?" Bella asked as I loosened my arms and she spun to look up at me. "You two are going somewhere?"

"On a walk," I told her. "You and Jake had some quality time, so me and your Dad are going to go do the same. If that's okay with you?"

"No," She told me blankly. "You must stay with me and only me at all times. You are to always stay in my sight, unless of course _I _decide to go somewhere, and if and when that occurs in my absence you must stay exactly where I tell you. And if you have to pee, well, hope that I am not gone for much longer."

"I'll see you later," I chuckled as I leaned down to kiss her.

"Have fun," She smiled, "You too Dad."

"I love you," I told her as I began walking backwards with our hands still entwined.

"I love you," She said back as our hands reluctantly dropped.

I blew her a kiss.

* * *

"So you and Bella seem pretty serious," Charlie said as we made our way down the dirt path through the woods.

"Yeah," I nodded in agreement with a smile, "Yeah, you could say that."

"That's good," He went on, "For both of you. Now Bella was happy with Edward, don't get me wrong. But it was a forced happiness; it was more like they were relatives than anything. You know? That awkward happiness that only lasts while you're together, but then once you're by yourself you're just… someone else entirely.

"But with you, well, it's hard to see her not smiling these days," He sighed while digging his hands into his pockets, "Even when she's alone."

"That's all I want," I told him truthfully, "Is her happiness."

"That's good to hear." He smiled. "And," He added, "As much as I hate saying it, I'm glad Edward left her in the woods that night," I looked over at him with shocked eyes, and he let out a laugh. "No, I don't mean that as a bad thing, Sam. I only meant that if he didn't you wouldn't have had to go looking for her, and, well, if you hadn't things may have turned out differently. You two may not be together, for example. And you're good for Bella, and I know I don't know you that well, but I have a feeling she's good for you too."

"No argument there," I laughed. "She does light up my day, that's for sure.

"And, um, speaking of Bella," I began, "There's something I wanted to ask you."

"What's that?" He asked as we continued through the man-made path.

"Well, first off, Charlie, I love your daughter," I told him, "I'd do anything for her; I'd never hurt her. She's too im-"

"Yes, Sam," Charlie cut me off with a smile as he gripped his hand around my shoulder.

"Yes?" I asked him curiously.

"Yes," He repeated, "You have my blessing to marry my daughter."

"Thank you, Charlie." I thanked him as we stood still, facing each other.

"Hey, go ahead and do me favor first, will you?" He asked as we began moving once again, this time back towards the house.

"Anything."

"Call me Dad."

TBC

* * *

**AN: **Hey guys, there is something I keep meaning to ask but always forget to add the authors note before posting the next chapter… do any of you have any idea what is up with the email alerts? For months now I have only been alerted for PMs, not story updates, reviews, favorites… nothing but PMs. Is anyone else having this issue, or is it just me? Do any of you have any idea how I should go about taking care of that?


	35. Perfect

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Thirty-Three: Perfect

**Sam's POV**

"Jacob!" Bella shrieked as we approached the house. "I can't believe you just did that…"

"Neither can I actually," He laughed, "You know, I was actually just going to mess with you for a while, and make you _think _I was going to do it… but then I actually lost my grip. I figured I'd just play it off, but it's just too damn funny so I had to tell the truth."

"Ugh!" She grunted. "You are _such _a _guy_ Jacob Black!"

"I'd be honored to take that as a compliment Bella, but I honestly have no idea what you're talking about, so you're going to have to educate me."

"Educate?" She asked him. "Okay, _fine!_ You are a guy, guys rough house… do I need to say more?"

"Oh, you mean by making fun of you and laughing at you and then messing with you and then epic failing?"

"Yeah, that," She laughed. "Ugh! Jacob! What are we going to do? My Dad is going to be pissed!"

"Probably, but, if you want I'll take half the blame for you. Seeing as it's-"

"-Half your fault?" She finished for him.

"Half my fault!" He gasped, "Half? In your dreams, I claim no more than a fourth, at most."

"A _fourth_! What planet is that logic from?"

"This one. You see, _you _slipped and doused me with a pot filled with ice-cold water first. So, if you look at it _logically _this is all your doing."

"Seriously Jake?" She asked him. "Is that seriously what you believe?"

"No, I don't believe it," He chuckled, "I _know _it." He told her. "And I _know _it because if you hadn't spilled water all over in the first place I wouldn't have felt obligated to retaliate. Or, at least, you know, pretend…"

"Okay, you know what, whatever, fine, can we just please get up and try to get a majority of this place dry before my Dad and Sam get back?"

"Yeah, that sounds fair," Jacob sighed, "I'll be in the living room, come get me when you're done. Oh, but before?" He asked, and waited as Bella remained speechless. "Can you hand me a soda?"

"What do I look like to you?" She asked after a moment.

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Hey guys, what's – _whoa!_" Charlie said – oblivious to their conversation as we entered the water-filled kitchen. "What the heck happened in here? Bella… I told you not to listen to music and cook at the same time, honey. Now the floor boards are going to get warped."

"What!" Bella gasped as she looked over at Jacob, who was shaking from his laughter and unable to speak. "Me? You automatically think it was me!" The two were on the floor, facing each other and supporting themselves with their elbows.

"Well," Charlie said with his eyebrows raised as he did a little motion with his head.

"You know, this could have been Jacob's fault just as easily as it could have been mine."

"It was you!" Jacob shouted, now able to control himself. "You tripped and spilled water all over me, and the floor!"

"Because I tripped over _your _foot!"

"Yeah, damn your big feet Jacob." I said as I knelt down beside Bella, who looked over at me with a smile before I leaned in to kiss her wet lips.

"You're just jealous, Uley." Jacob retorted as he wiped his hand down his face.

"Yeah, you're right," Sam said as he brushed hair away from my face and hid it behind my ear. "I'm so jealous that I _don't_ have to compensate."

"_Okay_," Charlie said awkwardly as he threw his hands into the air and navigated his way across the small lake that was once the kitchen. "I'm out of here, that's one too many awkward comments for my taste. Jacob, Bella, please get this place dry before the floor soaks too much of the water up."

"Yeah, no problem Charlie," Jacob said with a wicked smile at Bella, and waiting for Charlie to go out of sight added, "You heard him Bella, get to work."

"Sure," Bella smiled as she pulled herself back up to her feet. "You know, you're right. You can just sit back and relax, Jake. After all, you have been so busy lately, what with Edward and Victoria, and _oh _not to mention that Vision Quest, that must have been a real trial."

"Seriously Bella?" Jacob asked with just as much shock in his voice that was on my face.

"Yes, I am serious," She nodded with her back towards me as she turned on the faucet and grabbed a large bucket from under the sink. "And you know, I might as well go ahead and add some soap to all of this water, might as well get the dirt and grime up while I'm at it right? I mean if you're going to do a job you should do the best you can."

"Yeah, that's really nice of you Bella," Jacob smiled as she flipped the stream off, and turned with a devilish, sexy grin on her face with the full bucket hugged between her hands. She winked at me and began slowly tilting the bucket towards Jacob as he continued with, "I think Charlie will really app-"

Bella, smiling with satisfaction now, set the bucket back into the sink and walked towards the refrigerator. "Here," She said while handing Jacob a soda, "You said you wanted one, didn't you?"

"Yeah," He nodded slowly with water streaming down his face, "Yeah, yeah I did."

"I thought so," She smiled with a sigh.

"So, you… you wanna help me with this now?"

* * *

"You shouldn't have helped him," I suggested while setting my keys onto the counter and turning to lock the front door. "It's not like he wouldn't have had it coming, after those things he was saying to you."

"Yeah, you're probably right," She nodded as I followed her up the stairs. "But still, it was a lot of fun, and plus I know he wasn't being serious."

"True, but you do also know that if you had been serious about cleaning it yourself he would have let you, right?"

"I do," She agreed as we closed ourselves in the bathroom and flicked on the light, "But," She went one while stripping off her wet clothes. "If he had done that he would have probably gone home and changed into a pair of dry clothes, and then come back –to check on my progress. And when -in this scenario- he did come back I would have just got him again. So, either way, it would have been a win-win."

"Wait, I understand how it would have been a win for you, but why Jake?" I asked as I began pulling off my own clothes.

"Well, it's simple; _he_ doesn't really care about being wet, other than it being a minor annoyance, that is. And if I had gotten him I would have had the pride of getting him _three_ times, and he still wouldn't have to help me." She smiled as she sat on the side of the tub to peel off her socks. "Either way, he got to spend more time with me. Which I think is pretty awesome."

"Yeah," I smiled as I walked over to her and lifted her from the tub into my arms. "That is pretty awesome; I'm jealous."

"I guess you'll just have to make it up now, then," She smiled with her legs wrapped around my hips and her arms around my neck as I stepped us into the tub and slid closed the curtain. With my back facing the shower head –to protect Bella from the possible too extreme temperature- I reached a hand back and turned on the stream.

"I guess I will," I agreed before bringing my lips to hers; her fingers sliding into my hair and pulling on it softly.

* * *

"I need to take some of these back," Bella said softly to herself as she sat crouched down in front of her small stack of DVD's.

"Why?" I asked as I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her while sitting myself onto the floor.

"Because," She told me, "We don't watch half of them anymore."

"Yeah," I agreed as I bent my head down to kiss her neck. "But we also haven't watched half of them."

"That is also true, but still, my Dad's selection is so miniscule it's depressing."

"Maybe you can give him a few?" I suggested as she sighed and snuggled up tighter into my chest. "Just a couple, ones you don't really care too much about. And you can always borrow them from him later."

"But then I'll have nothing on him; nothing to tease him about."

"That's not true," I whispered as I leaned down to kiss her. "He did break his hand just by punching someone."

"Yeah!" She laughed. "Someone who was made out of granite."

"Granite?" I asked. "I was going to say coal."

"Coat is breakable; it shatters easily."

"If you ask Jake I'm sure he'd say the same thing about Edward."

"Yeah, well, that's different."

"How so?" I wondered as she turned her head to look up at me.

"Jacob's a werewolf; he isn't exactly built like me or my Dad. He's not as fragile. And, anyways, how did we get from discussing my movies to Edward's toughness?"

"You were saying how you'd have nothing on your Dad anymore if you gave them to him." I reminded her as I brushed back a chunk of hair from her eyes.

"Oh yeah…" She mused. "And no, I wouldn't have that on him. _I _would probably have worse damage if I'd have ever hit Edward, or, any of the Cullen's, for that matter. They're vampire's, they're built differently."

"They are vampires," I sighed. "I know that, and you know that… but does he?"

I heard her lips curl into a smile as she let out a soft chuckle. "I guess not… so, what movies should we surrender?"

"Hm," I contemplated. "How about… Mrs. Doubtfire?"

"Never," She said quickly.

"Bella, we've watched it like five-hundred times, I think you can give it up."

"No, never," She said again while shaking her head. "That movie is the love of my life."

"I thought I was the love of your life."

She laughed softly, "In – your – dreams," And looked up at me with a sweet smile playing across her lips, which I couldn't help but to kiss.

"I love you," I whispered softly as our lips parted.

"I know," She whispered back, and I pulled my arms from around her and began gently poking at her sides, where she then began to squirm around and giggle uncontrollably.

"Sam, Sam!" She laughed. "Sam please! Please stop!"

"Not until you say it," I smiled while continuing to tickle her.

"Okay! I love you, I love you!" She gasped, and I ceased my attacks before wrapping my arms around her once more. "I love you."

"You better." I said as I leaned my head down and kissed the top of her head softly; her body still vibrating from residual giggles.

"Face it," She said, "You're stuck with me."

"A punishment I take with open arms."

"You better."

* * *

"Okay, lights are off, movies in, fires started, blankets are ready, popcorn is popped… am I forgetting anything?" I asked as I stood equally between the couch and TV, waiting any last minute details.

"One thing," She nodded.

"What?"

"My space heater is too far away."

"Oh," I said with a smile as I walked over to her, "I apologize, ma'am." She giggled as I sat down next to her and pulled a loose blanket over myself; my arms wrapping around her automatically as she laid her head onto my shoulder and rested her arm along my stomach. "Are you comfortable?" I asked as I ran my fingers through her hair and kissed her temple.

"I'm perfect," She said contently as the previews began playing.

"I'm glad," I whispered before running my hand down her shoulder and holding her once more. "You know how I went out with your Dad today?"

"Yeah."

"Well, when we were out walking I started asking him for his blessing to marry you," I began telling her as she tilted her head to look up at me. "But, I guess I was being kind of obvious because he said yes before I was even able to get the words out."

"He said yes?"

"Yeah… he also asked me to call him Dad."

"My Dad loves you," She told me with a smile as she reached her hand up and took hold of mine. "I didn't think you'd actually ask him, though."

"Why wouldn't I?" I asked her. "I love you, and I want to do everything right for you, Bella. I am not taking any shortcuts." We took a moment of silence, just looking into each others eyes before I went on with, "I was going to talk to Jacob tomorrow… about being my Best Man."

She laughed softly, and I couldn't help but laugh too from the joy her radiant beauty brought me. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing… I just don't think he'd let you ask anybody else."

"I don't think you're wrong." I laughed. "Have you thought about it at all? About who you are going to ask to be your Maid of Honor?"

"Yeah, I have actually…" She trailed.

"Who?" I asked as I continued looking down at her.

"I was going to ask… Alice…"

"Cullen?" I wondered thoughtfully, recognizing her apparent shyness.

"Yeah, Alice Cullen."

"I think that's great." I smiled, and she looked up at me with relived eyes.

"You do?" She asked for certainty. "I mean you don't think it's weird or anything?"

"Bella, if it's what you want; if it's what makes you happy I am not going to stop you." I told her honestly. "And besides, it isn't up to me, and even if it were I'd tell you to go for it because I know how much you two care about each other; how much you care about her."

"I love you Sam," She sighed. "I don't know why I thought you'd be upset; you've never given me any reason to ever doubt you."

"And I never will." I told her as I leaned down to kiss her forehead. "All I want is your happiness Bella, and if she is who you want to ask, then ask away."

"You're so perfect." She said as she snuggled herself back against my chest.

"Perfect?" I asked with a smile as I looked down at her small form. "I'd just say I'm in love."

"Sam?" She asked after a moment had passed as she pulled her head away from my chest and began looking around the room.

"Yeah Baby?"

"Where's the remote?"

I threw my head back and groaned. "I _knew _I was forgetting something!"

TBC


	36. Honor

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Thirty-Four: Honor

**Bella's POV**

"Bella!"

"Alice, hey," I smiled.

"Bella, get in here!" She said as she motioned for me to step inside. "We have the house to ourselves right now, the family is out hunting."

"Why aren't you?" I asked as she closed the door and took my coat from my shoulders and hung it up beside the door. "Hunting I mean, I'd think you'd have jumped to-" I stopped myself as she gave me a little smile and began tapping her temple. "Psychic, yeah, right, forgot."

"And _I _don't blame you." She said happily. "You're always with Sam now; it's hard to keep track of you these days. Oh!" She said quickly to my expression. "I'm not complaining Bella! I'm merely stating that we never spend time together anymore! I mean, did I do something to offend you? You used to come over here all the time… aren't I still your friend?"

"God, Alice, no – I mean yes! Yes, you are still my friend; of course you are, always. But I just… I guess I thought the sight of me would upset you. All of you."

"Bella, the only thing about your sight that upsets us is that we don't see it often enough! We love you Bella, and if you don't start coming over more or _calling _then you're going to be in serious trou-" She stopped abruptly as her eyes trailed down to my left hand. "Bella?" She asked with a smile, our previous conversation forgotten.

My lips curled into an involuntary smile as she pulled my hand into her own and squealed, "Why didn't you tell me!"

"Alice, I didn't think you would want to know." I told her honestly. "Now I love you guys, all of you guys. But after everything that happened…"

"You mean my recently disowned non-blood sibling forcing himself on top of you and then telling the rest of us this bullshit story about how you wanted it to happen and how it wasn't really rape at all?" She suggested. "And then to find him less than five minutes later on the floor of his bedroom crying about it and clutching a picture of you to his chest?"

"Um, yeah," I said awkwardly with wide, stunned eyes. "That."

"Oh, now don't be silly Bella, as much as I hate him and everything he stands for and couldn't care less if he were killed… it was _him _that did it. You were the victim, Bella, nothing else. We hate Edward, not you sweetie. In fact, if you want we have one free room for the taking if you'd like."

I smiled at her offer, but shook my head.

"Fine," She said disappointedly, but kept her smile all the same. "Now, onto you and Sam… when is the wedding? Oh! And also, do you have your Bridesmaids picked out, and your Maid of Honor?" She wondered as she pulled me into the front room where we then sat side-by-side on the long sofa. "Because I am a master designer of clothes, as you well know."

"How can I not?" At this, she smiled proudly. "And we don't exactly have a date set yet, no, but the wedding is kind of one of the reasons I came over… Alice?"

"Yes Bella?"

"Be my Maid of Honor?"

Her smile diminished slowly from her face and was replaced with an expression of seriousness and shock. "Bella?" She asked as she smiled again with moist-looking eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Have I told you recently how much I love you?"

"No, not recently, no," I said as she pulled me into her arms and hugged me close. "But then again neither have I."

"Well, I love you."

"I love you too Alice."

"Now," She said as she slid her arms away from me and pulled out her cell phone and held it towards me, "You are going to need to call Charlie and Sam and tell them that they shouldn't expect to see you for the next few days."

"Why?" I asked her as she shook her head with a smile and flipped open her cell phone and began dialing, "Alice, wait, who are you calling and why shouldn't they expect to see me?"

"Planning, Bella!" She told me as she pressed the phone against her ear. "And Charlie, I figured you'd like to call Sam yourself."

"Wait, no, Alice," I said as I gently pulled at her arm so the phone was now hovering over her lap. "I asked for you to be my Maid of Honor, not to plan it. And besides, like I said earlier, Alice, we don't even know when it is, so…"

"Bella," She smiled as she pulled the phone back up to her ear. "You asked me to be your Maid of Honor, and as your Maid of Honor I would be _honored _to plan your wedding. And I know," She cut me off as I opened my mouth to speak, "You and Sam haven't set a date yet, which is exactly why we should plan now so it is all taken care of by the time a date is agreed.

"And just think, if we take care of it now then by the time you two do get married you will have one less thing to stress over." She concluded with a smile as she pulled her phone away from her ear and flipped it shut. "No answer; remember Bella, beauty rest is the key point to a wedding, and less stress means more sleep. So, if you think about it logically Bella, by letting me do this for you I am also helping you in the long run."

"Okay, I get that," I nodded, "But is it really necessary for me to stay here?"

"Probably not, no, but I miss spending time with you!" She urged as she placed her hand around my upper arm and looked at me longingly. "And this would just be an excuse to see you more! So, please, Bella? Stay over?" She begged.

"I…" I stammered, thinking how hard it would be to sleep without Sam by my side, but at the same time missing Alice just as much as I could see she missed me. "Okay."

"Yay!" She smiled brightly while clasping her hands together. "Now that that's settled, what season did you and Sam have in mind?"

"Season?" I asked her.

"For the wedding!" She sighed. "Bella, can you imagine having a winter themed wedding in summer? Or vise versa?" The seriousness in her face and voice was, I know, supposed to be taken seriously. But I couldn't help but stifle my laughter. "Well?" She asked, "Time is of the essence Bella!"

* * *

**Sam's POV**

"Wait, you had a _what _dream about Bella?" I asked as Jacob folded his arms tightly across his chest and turned his reddening face towards the horizon.

"It wasn't my fault and I'm not saying it again," He told me firmly. "I didn't even mean to say it the first time… it just came out."

"No," I laughed, "Seriously, I've gotta hear this one. I mean, does Bella know?" I pushed.

"Dude, drop it." He told me with his still-red face facing as far away from me as possible. "I told you it wasn't my fault. If you two hadn't gotten… _intimate_… in the same bed as me I'm sure our topic of conversation would be very different right now."

"Come on, you can't leave me hangi-" I was cut off as my phone began vibrating against my leg. I pulled it out and smiled to see Bella's face and name looking up at me. "Hang on; it's Bella. Hey Baby," I said happily as I stood up and began walking out towards the shore.

"Hey," She sang back, "So… I've got some news…"

"Okay, what's up?" I asked as I kicked a medium sized pebble into the water.

"I'm being kidnapped for the night."

"What? Why?" I asked as I turned to look back at Jacob, who met my eyes and then turned quickly away. I stifled a laugh.

"Well, you know how last night we were talking about your Best Man and my Maid of Honor and how we were going to ask them soon?"

"Uh huh."

"Well, I'm at the Cullen's with Alice right now – we're the only ones here, the rest are out hunting – and I asked her, and she said yes. And the next thing I knew I was being asked all these questions about seasons and colors and flowers and smells and… well, it's going to be a long day."

"Oh, yikes," I laughed, knowing – from what Bella had told me in the past – how forceful Alice could be when it came to anything involving makeup, clothes, accessories – fashion in general - and love. "Are you sure you can handle that on your own?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," She told me with a soft laugh. "Really telling all of this to you now is just an excuse to hear your voice; I could have told you tomorrow, but I knew I wouldn't even be able to see you until then, so, hi."

"Hi," I smiled. "So this means I'm going to have to sleep alone tonight?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid so."

"Do I have to?" I asked hopefully.

"I already asked Alice," She admitted. "She won't break. I am afraid we will both have to sleep by ourselves tonight. But I'll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise."

"You better," I told her with a smile, realizing at the same moment that that was a way for us to tell each other _I love you_.

"It's a date."

"Okay, well, I love you," I told her as I headed back towards Jacob. "And I want to keep talking, but I'm with Jake right now, and I'm sure the longer you neglect Alice the longer she'll keep you from me."

"Yeah, I know you're right," She agreed.

"I love you, Bella," I told her again as Jacob turned his head towards me, where he then kept his eyes level with my knees; his arms folded across his legs as he hugged them against his chest.

"I love you too Sam," She sighed longingly, "Tell Jake I say hi, and I'll see you tomorrow."

"I will. Bye Sweetheart, try not to have too much fun without me."

"I'll see what I can do." She laughed. "Bye."

"Sorry about that," I said as I slid my phone back into my pocket and looked over at Jake.

"It's cool, you two are kind of linked, anyway." He shrugged. "And, without eavesdropping, of course, I couldn't help but over hear something about Best Man and Maid of Honor?"

"Oh, yeah, that would be an accurate assessment." I nodded as I scratched at the back of my head and looked out onto the water with my elbows resting against the log behind me. "But that would be what Bella and I were talking about. You, on the other hand…"

"Dude, I told you!" He bellowed, "If you two hadn't been-"

"I'm kidding Jake," I laughed as I put my hands up in surrender. "It's just too funny to not bring up again."

"Oh, yeah, _really _funny… Not uncomfortable at all."

"Dude, its fine," I told him with a shrug. "It's not like I shouldn't have seen it coming; Bella was being pretty loud, anyways. Now, if you burst out with news about dreaming about me, well, then, that's another problem entirely."

"Another problem that will never happen and will never be brought up again," He said quickly with a forced smile. "Now, on to the Best Man and Maid of Honor business; Bella asked Alice?"

"Yeah, she did."

"Oh, hm, that's nice…" He said as he nodded his head up and down, bobbing his eyes from the sand to my feet and back again.

"Yeah, it is."

"Mhm," He nodded.

"Yee-up," I agreed.

"Very nice," He mused. "Good that she asked someone so close, so, personal."

"It is." I nodded while looking over at him, and couldn't help but laugh at his expression, "What?" I asked.

His eyes widened as he let his knees fan out to the sides and with them his hands. He looked at me as if asking 'Well?', and then, obviously annoyed, bellowed, "SAM!"

"Jake," I said back in the most irritable, oblivious way I could think of.

"Seriously?"

"Mm, seriously what?" I wondered as he let out a groan.

"Serio… you know what, never mind. I get it." He gave up.

"Jake," I said as he looked out onto the water, and I at him. I laughed softly at his ignoring me, and said again, "Jacob."

"Sam."

"Look at me Jake.

"Will you be my Best Man at my wedding?"

"Yeah, I will, ya jerk," He said as he picked up a small pebble and tossed it to the side. "I wouldn't give you the chance to ask anybody else."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, it is." He nodded.

"And um, how exactly was it that you planned on stopping me?" I wondered.

"Simple," He told me, "I'd just kick your ass."

"Oh, yeah right, good luck!" I laughed. "Oh, and why you're at it, tell me how it feels to walk on water, cause you'll have just about the same amount of luck with that."

"Whoa now, is that a challenge, Uley?" He asked as he stood up and pulled off his jacket. "Because that sounds like a challenge to me."

"No," I told him as I too stood up and threw my jacket off. "It can't be a challenge if you know you're going to win."

"Oh, was that… was that an insult I just heard?" He asked with his hand over his heart.

"Take it as you will; we both know it's the truth." I shrugged as we walked away from the pile of logs and made our way to a more open area. "Get ready Jake, cause you're about to get your ass handed to yo-" I was tackled from behind and face planted roughly into the ground; sand filling my mouth and laughter filling my lungs.

TBC


	37. Mystery

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Thirty-Five: Mystery

**Bella's POV**

"Hey Bella," His voice sounded from behind me, and I let out a howl of surprise as my keys went flying from my hands and into the air, gravel skidding from beneath me as the side of my head slammed harshly against my side mirror; causing momentary blindness. With my heart hammering against my chest I heard a loud snapping sound as my side mirror broke free of my truck and landed heavily against my stomach, and I let out a grunt of both irritation and pain.

As I lay on the ground, realizing no one was going to help me up, I swallowed a breath of air and prepared myself for who I was hoping I had mistook for someone else having surprised me, boy, did I wish I was wrong.

"Mike?" I breathed as I slowly pulled myself back to my feet; mirror cradled securely in my left hand and against my side opposite my truck. "Um… what are you…?"

"I know I'm probably the last person you want to see right now, but I really need to talk to somebody. You're the first person I thought of… and, uh, sorry I scared you. And about your truck…"

I opened my mouth to speak, but as I looked deeper into his face I saw that his eyes were red and swollen and he looked pale, too. Folding my arms over my chest – still holding the mirror - I shrugged stiffly and glanced back at the house beside us, wishing Alice would come outside and come up with some excuse to drag me back inside. But, seeing that she did in fact take off to go hunting and belatedly join the others, I was alone. "How'd you know I was here?" I winced; bringing my hand up to where I had hit my head, and bringing it back down I bit my lip irritably to see a generous amount of fresh blood shining back at me from my fingers. Focusing all my energy on my head I could feel warm blood creeping its way from my temple and down the side of my face. Great.

"Your Dad," He told me with a subtle sniff. "I was going to go to your boyfriends first, but then I remembered I don't know where he lives… I figured your house was the safest bet. And then your Dad told me how to get here once I told him my reasoning – though being a cop he knew before I did - for needing to talk to you."

"Look, Mike," I began, looking down and kicking the gravel around with my dusty shoes. "I know we went to school together, and you were very friendly and welcoming towards me when I was new. But I also remember what you tried to do to me; I'm not going to pretend I don't. So either you're going to tell me what it is you need to get off your chest so badly or I am going to climb in my truck and drive away and forget I saw you, though in the back of my mind I'll wonder what it was you had to say. I'd prefer the first option but I'd be fine doing either."

"Can we go someplace more private first?" He asked, looking over at me with hopeful eyes as he dug his hands into his pants pockets. "Please?"

"Here's private enough." I told him impatiently while looking back up at him.

"Someone could hear-"

"No one is home." I begged.

"Oh, then… then what are you doing here?" He asked with obvious determination to stray from the topic while at the Cullen's house.

"I was hanging out with Alice; she left a few minutes before I did." I explained to him pointlessly, growing irritated further.

"I know," He nodded, "I'm trying to come out with it Bella, really I am, it's just really hard to vocalize."

"Mike, I get that whatever you need to say is important, but you're the one who came to me and now I'm having to wait on you even though I undeniably don't want to. So, would you just please?" I asked him with pleading eyes, growing more and more uncomfortable by the minute.

"Do you remember back in June – a couple weeks before graduation when I asked you for a ride home?" He asked while looking over at me, an almost absent look in his eyes. I nodded, thinking _no shit Sherlock_ to myself but keeping quiet as he went on. "Well, you remember how I was asking you about Edward, and then you told me about your new boyfriend?" Again, I nodded. "You asked about me and… me and Jessica… and I told you we didn't work out? That she wasn't my type?" I nodded again while refolding my arms over my chest. "Well I lied Bella," He admitted pathetically. "We were still together – not even having problems.

"And I know you're probably thinking, wondering to yourself why I did what I did to you if I was with Jess. The answer to that is simple, I didn't want to loose my virginity to her… I wanted to loose it to you."

"Mike," I said awkwardly as I held my mirror-free hand up in the air, stopping him from going on any further. "Could you please just… would you please get to the point, Mike?"

"Yeah," He said softly, "Sorry, I just, I needed to tell you that because it's what I told her."

"What?"

"I told Jessica that." He shrugged. "I told Jessica that was the reason I never had sex with her; that I didn't want to loose it with just anybody but with you, Bella." He said again, and I closed my eyes and whished and whished him away, but to no avail would he disappear. "She thought I was just saying a bad joke at first, but I guess she could tell by my expression I wasn't lying to her… she told me to leave, to go away and that she never wanted to see me again.

"And so, respecting her and not wanting to hurt her anymore, I left. And I did – do – love her… still… I just, I don't know what is wrong with me; what was wrong with me. Wanting her in one way and desiring you in another…

"I went home, looking at the phone and praying and praying for her to call.

"But she never did… and the next person to call wasn't Jessica, but about Jessica."

"What?" I asked him. "What do you mean, _about _her? She ran away?"

"She killed herself," He breathed after a moment. "She's dead, took all the pills in her parents medicine cabinet the moment I walked out the door.

"I guess I needed to tell you first rather than talking about it with anyone else because I felt the most guilt for it because of you." He said, and looking over at him with wide eyes he quickly added, "Not because of you, but because of what I tried to do with you and how I lied to you; how I was so turned on by you that I just couldn't help myself – how I am even having problems now – but don't worry, I won't do anything.

"I guess the reason I am here is to get your forgiveness, because if I get that then maybe I'll be able to forgive myself, and in time I'll know Jessica forgives me, too."

"No," I told him almost immediately; sickened by him.

"No?" He asked. "No? No, what… no?"

"I'm not going to forgive you, Mike." I told him stiffly, barley able to breath – let alone stand after hearing about Jessica. "I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of letting you think you might have been in the right here, by telling me. You tried to rape me, and someone else got hurt because of it. I am not blaming you or myself for Jessica's reckless and above all stupid decision to take her own life, but I am not going to forgive you, either. This is just something you're going to have to deal with – live with - on your own."

"I know that," He nodded sadly with fresh tears threatening to fall down his cheeks. "But I was just, I don't know, hoping…"

"Hoping?" I asked him. "Hoping for what, Mike?"

"I don't know," He said after a moment. "I just…"

"Mike?" I asked him as I reached my hand out to pull open my truck door, and stepping inside he looked over at me with big, hopeful, sad eyes. "Just do me a favor and don't kill yourself over this."

He laughed feebly, "Nah," He shook his head, "I'd miss myself too much."

"Just, try and take care of yourself, okay?" I asked, still unable to bring myself to believe him about Jessica, but knowing at the same time there was no way it wasn't true. "And please don't try to contact me again."

Looking at him one last time, I pulled my door closed and drove off; an aching in my heart and a burning in my eyes for the tears I refused to let go.

Thinking quickly, I stayed on the main road from the Cullen's; I would go to Sam's later. I had to talk to my Dad first, I had to ask him if it were true, if it weren't just Mike messing with me to get me to sympathize and comfort him so he would be able to take advantage of my caring.

Shaking off the idea of the incidents before the car crash Edward and I had gotten into; I raised my head up high and looked ahead.

* * *

As I pulled open the front door and stepped into the house, I was instantly overcome with the aromas of roses and vanilla. Thinking oddly of this, I set my keys onto the front table and headed for the stairs, but as my foot made contact with the first step my attention was drawn towards the kitchen where I heard my Dad's voice mumble something in a voice I had never heard him use before; so much so I couldn't even make out what it was he said. I was taken aback by the sound of a woman giggly shortly after.

With a small smile of curiosity on my lips, I changed directions and headed towards the kitchen with small baby steps at a time.

By the time I reached the kitchen entrance my jaw was on the floor.

There stood my Dad; his arms wrapped securely around the mystery woman's waist and her hands wound up in his hair, their lips locked in a passionate embrace as they pressed closer against each other, making whatever space they had between them before now nonexistent. I stepped back and hid myself behind the wall with my heart hammering against my chest while raising my hand to cover my agape mouth. That mystery woman my Dad had his arms around, she wasn't a mystery woman at all!

She was Angela!

TBC


	38. Conversations

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Thirty-Six: Conversations

**Bella's POV**

"You were in the hospital; you couldn't remember me and I just didn't know what to do," Charlie went on as we sat besides one another on the front couch with hot cocoa's in our hands. It had been over a week since I had walked in on him and Angela, and against my own better nature decided I couldn't hold it in any longer. "So, I did the only thing I could think of and went to one of your friends about it." I narrowed my eyes downward, knowing how hard it was for me but being completely unable to even imagine what he had been going through. Forgetting a child was one thing, but for the child to forget the parent… I just couldn't imagine the pain I put him through.

"I was a wreck," He went on with a sigh as I looked back up at him. "I was actually sent home a few times from work for being unable to stay focused and keep my head in the game."

"I'm sorry," I told him softly while bringing my cocoa up to my mouth and sipping on the melted marshmallows.

"It's alright Bella; it wasn't your fault," He smiled before going on, "In a way, actually, I'm kind of glad it happened – if it hadn't I wouldn't have found Angela. Could have happened another way, but I have her now.

"Look, Bella," He cut himself off, sensing my discomfort. "I know it's weird for you – you know, your Dad's dating one of your former classmates. But you've gotta hear me out, Bella… I'm crazy about her. I'm-" He ended short again, again, sensing my increased discomfort, and, laughing said, "Start at the beginning?"

"Please," I nodded with my own sigh of relief.

"Well," He went on, "Like I said, when you were in the hospital and had woken up, unable to remember me, I was a ruin. I went around with my head in a fog; unable to focus on anything or anyone except you, and how you had looked at me when you first woke up – like a stranger – it cut into me deeper than anything ever had before. It hurt so bad, and I just didn't know what to do. And then when I thought it couldn't get any worse Sam and Edward showed up, and thinking you wouldn't remember them – or at least one of them - either, well, the wound got a whole lot deeper.

"And, in that state I did something that I'm not exactly proud of, but I didn't know what else to do. So, without really thinking I went up to your room and looked through your stuff, and I'm sorry about that Baby, really I am. But I was just trying to find letters or notes or pictures or emails so I would have some branch to climb on with who it was you were closest with. And, in my search, and remembering from things you had said about kids at school, found Angela.

"I went to her house the next day.

"She was concerned at first, wondering why one of her friend's cop-Dad's was dropping by with a strange look on his face. But after explaining to her about the car accident and your memory she understood, but still didn't quite get why I had come to talk to her, out of all the other people you knew.

"I told her that out of all your friends from school she was your closest, other than Edward, at the time, that is. And I would have gone to Alice; I know how close you two are, but I didn't know how well the two of you were off at the time.

"Angela was there for me whenever I needed her, and she didn't have to be. And the only real reason I went to her in the first place was to feel some closeness with you by being around people you liked; you knew.

"And then after a few weeks of seeing her every now and then, well, I realized I was starting to feel things towards her… romantic things. At first I was in denial, saying these feelings had nothing more than to do with the fact that she was your friend, and being with her was kind of like being with you, and I was happy about that. I mean she was only eighteen; born the same year as you, she was too young for me to think those things about her. But then, after lying to myself for even longer, I realized I just couldn't do it anymore.

"So I went to her house again, determined to admit my feelings but accept the fact that I was your father and therefore would understand how she would never be able to want me in the way I wanted her. And so, taking a deep breath as I reached out my hand to the doorbell I just about had a heart attack. I mean, what was I doing? She was about twenty years my junior and close friends with my daughter; how sick was I, I thought to myself.

"The door opened before I was able to make a run for it.

"She was standing there, looking up at me and looking more beautiful than anyone I had ever seen before – except you, of course."

"That's okay," I said awkwardly.

"Before I could stop myself I walked up to her, cupped her face between my hands and told her I was in love with her and kissed her.

"I expected a slap, a shove, a gasp of disgust, wide eyes, a door slammed in my face… anything but what the real reaction was." He reflected, looking down at his half empty mug of cocoa. "She took my hands in hers and walked me backwards into the house, always looking at me with the same smile on her face.

"She locked the door, and the next thing I knew her lips were on mine again, and I found my own hands wrapping around her and lifting her into my arms and carrying her up the stairs. I carried her all the way up, until we reached the second story landing.

"She pulled me into her room and I couldn't help but laugh – I hadn't felt this happy in years, hell, I had never been so happy.

"I pulled her into my arms as soon as we were in her bedroom, sat us down on the bed and… well…" He trailed as I lifted my mug back to my lips and took a long drink.

"Yeah I get it," I said quickly while setting my now empty mug down.

"Perfect," He nodded with reddening cheeks; apparently having forgot momentarily who he had been speaking with, and went a bit too far for a proper father-daughter conversation.

I waited a moment, allowing myself time to get the images of my Dad on top of a moaning Angela to dissipate from my mind. "You're happy?" I asked him, looking over at him with a wide grin across his lips.

"Yeah," He told me sincerely, "I really, really am Bells."

"And Angela?" I asked him. "She's happy too?"

He nodded, "Yeah, we're both happy. But it would make us even happier if you were happy for us, Bella."

"Then," I said slowly, carefully picking my words. "I can be happy for you; it's weird, and strange, and unusual and more than anything uncomfortable. But-"

"Thanks for your support kiddo," He chuckled.

"_But,_" I repeated. "I think that, in time, I'll come to accept it. And, maybe even be okay with it."

"Come here Baby," He said warmly while opening his arms for me. I crawled across the couch and fell into his arms, landing happily into his lap as he planted a long kiss on my forehead. "I love you, and you have no idea how much what you said means to me."

"I can't do it right away," I warned.

"I'm not asking you to," He shook his head slowly while looking into my eyes and running his fingers across my forehead to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "All I'm asking is that you try; you don't have to make any promises."

"Good," I smiled while pulling my eyes from his to look out the blackened window, "Because I'm a terrible liar." He laughed while nodding his head, and not meaning to, I cut his laughter short. "Dad?"

"Yeah Baby?" He asked, running his hand over my head once more and looking at me with tender, caring eyes.

"I've been meaning to ask you; Mike talked to me, but I just keep putting it off…"

"What is it?"

"About… Jessica Stanley…" I trailed, knowing her name would be enough to fill in the blanks.

He let out a long, slow sigh while dropping his head onto the head of the couch. Bringing it back up he nodded. "Yeah, yeah… it's true."

I inhaled a deep breath; feeling my body tense and realizing how much I had hoped Mike had been lying to me as the truth engulfed me; Daddy's arms encircling me and pulling me close. "I'm sorry Bells," He cooed gently.

"No," I shook my head, looking at him with teary eyes, "It was so stupid… killing herself over a guy."

"Yeah, it was stupid," He agreed, still holding me. "Really stupid. But that doesn't make it any less painful for the people who loved her. And," He added, pulling an arm away from my and reaching into his back pocket, "Speaking of… I shouldn't have this, but it's for you." He said, handing me a pale purple envelope with my name written in small print across the front of it.

"What…" I asked slowly, "What is it?" Already I knew the answer, but I had to hear it. Out loud.

"While we were at the Stanley's looking for evidence and that sort, the day it happened, I saw it lying out on her desk. I knew I shouldn't have taken it, but clearly no one else had seen it since it was still there, and it had your name on it. I haven't opened it."

"So this is her…" I trailed, being unable to force the words _suicide note _from my lips.

"Yeah," He nodded, "I think so, Baby. I think so."

* * *

Walking into my room, I sat onto the edge of my bed and looked down at her semi-familiar handwriting, breathing deeply and wondering why she would have possibly chose me –and not Mike, or anyone else for that matter. We were never close, never even kind of close, so then… why me?

And then it hit me.

Mike's words played about my memory, poisoning it with its lies and filth – she had killed herself after he told her about wanting to loose his virginity with me. Oh, God, what other lies had he told her then, too? Was this letter filled with nothing but hatred? Mean, spiteful and, above all untrue material? With his words what had he made Jessica think of me? Oh, Mike… why did you have to obsess over me so much? I never did anything…

I never did anything, surly Jessica knew that. There must be an underlying factor to all of this. I mean it was him who tried to rape me; I never wanted anything to do with him! Everyone in school had seen it, so, surly Jessica did, too…

Running a hand through my hair I closed my eyes and pleaded and begged, silently, for Mike to have nothing to do with the contents in the sealed envelope. Sitting up I walked over to my desk and set the note along the top of my keyboard, I would read it in the morning, after I had a good night sleep and could stop hexing myself with negative thoughts about it.

_Negative thoughts about it? _ I laughed, it was a suicide note! What wasn't negative about it?

After changing out of my day clothes and slipping into a plain white tank top and yellow booty shorts, I slipped into my covers and let out a long – irritably long – yawn. Closing my eyes I shivered, this sleeping alone business was no picnic, but Sam had insisted it would be worth it. I missed him like crazy; my body aching for him to be beside me, holding me, I willed with all of me for the wait to be over and for the worth to soon be here. I missed his heartbeat against my ear as I traced my hands along his smooth chest; happily welcoming sleep beside him was heaven. But alone? It was cold, lonely and just plain unpleasant.

I closed my eyes, wondering if he were having as much trouble as I was as my mind and body slowly drifted to sleep.

* * *

My hands shook the next day as I began slowly pulling the letter from its envelope.

_Dear Bella,_ I began, forcing myself to read it after having deliberated for over half the morning, and now it was going into the late afternoon, I could put it off no longer. Letting out a sigh and preparing myself with as much self-comfort as I could, I would accept whatever it was she had to say…

_I never hated you. If anything I was jealous of you. You were prettier than me, more popular with the guys – hell; you even got Edward's attention all about you on your first day! And Eric's and Tyler's and Mike's too. I was jealous and so along with Lauren I started spreading some not too nice rumors about you that will go left untold. And for that (the spreading, not the not telling) I am sorry._

_I know you never really liked me much, and seeing how it was I treated you and talked to you and how I talked about you, I don't blame you. You always were so easy to talk to that anyone could just come up to you and start talking, you were the nice girl. The pretty girl – hot girl – even, the new girl. And even after you had been here for six months, a year, you were always the new girl. When deep down you know just as well as I do that that means you are the popular one; not me. _

_I began throwing myself at Mike shortly after you arrived, because before then, well, I was who he wanted. But then as soon as you came to town it was all about Bella. Bella this Bella that Bella everything! I couldn't stand it! But I did try to ignore the constant Bella-blabber going on daily and just swallow my pride and get to know you. And I did get to know you, not well, but still enough to say I knew Bella. _

_Now I am going to go ahead and be blunt, why you? Why did Mike have to go off and become obsessed with you, Bella? I mean really, you are pretty and nice and funny and pleasant to be around and smart, too. So, why wouldn't he, right? No. Not right. He – was – mine. Mine, Bella. You had Edward Cullen! The hottest guy in existence, and still you insisted on hanging around all the other guys! I mean, like wasn't one enough for you? Did you have to go and take all the guys from town, too? _

_He was my boyfriend, Bella! And even though you weren't with Edward anymore you still managed to get another one! And still, Mike is following you around like a lost little puppy dog! I mean, like, really? I am going to go out on a limb here and say you and your boyfriend (What was his name again? Oh, who cares!) are having sex, right? Well, then, let Mike have sex with me! Don't go around making him think you would ever do anything otherwise! I mean seriously Bella, he told me about the talk you guys had shortly after you arrived in Forks – you know, the one about wanting to take each others virginity and promising each other you would only ever give yourselves to each other fully before anyone else. So, hm, does that mean that you did have sex with him? Seeing how I know you and your current boyfriend are sleeping together? So, if I do the math, then, Bella, you already had sex with Mike, didn't you? And you must have just been so good he had to have you again. That is, of course, unless you never slept with Mike in the first place? And why would you; I love him, but you had Edward! Edward Cullen!_

_And now you have your new boyfriend – have you treated him as well as you did Edward and been sneaking around with Mike, too? I mean you little slut! I didn't hate you before – I may have disliked you but never hated you – but I sure as hell do now! All you have done since you arrived here is take all the attention and all the boys and all the popularity to yourself! You are so selfish! How do you think Angela, Lauren and me felt about you? Huh? Lauren had Tyler, I had Mike, Angela had Eric, you had Edward AND EVERYBODY ELSE! As soon as you showed up the guys we liked all dropped us like rocks for someone who they would never have! Well, that is to say except Mike._

_I love him, Bella, love. You know the word? Love? Look it up because obviously you have a hard time defining it beside lust. Mike wants you – only you – I tell you, we can't kiss during the day or in the night if the lights aren't off because it is harder to imagine me as you! Me as you! He closes his eyes and pretends I'm you! He has called out your name; moaned it multiple times! And I just can't… I can't deal with that anymore. I can't leave him – he's all I have. But I can't stand being with someone who doesn't really love or want to be with me. He wants you, Bella. So why don't you just do us all a favor and ditch your current boyfriend and get with Mike like you both want so badly._

_I am sorry I ever met you. I am sorry you ever came to town. I am even sorry you were ever born, Isabella Swan. Have a fucking fantastic life._

_Truly, From the Bottom of My Heart, _

_- Jessica_

_P.S. I hope you're happy… I am finally out of the way and Mike is all yours._

Furious, all former emotions and thoughts forgotten, I threw the letter onto the bed behind me and ripped myself up, grabbing my keys before slamming my door shut. Thinking quickly, I doubled back to my bedroom and crawled onto my bed and took the note back into my hand and folded it once and into my pocket it went. _Stupid, fucking, lying, monstrous dick! _I dammed Mike as I flew down the stairs, three at a time.

"Hey Bells, ooh, hey, in a hurry?" My Dad asked as he sat in the loveseat facing the TV with Angela curled up in his lap. Still not in love with the idea of the two of them, I nodded. "You can't go anywhere Bells, not with one side view mirror missing."

"Dad," I said through clenched teeth, "I don't care about getting a ticket, this is-"

"The Chief's daughter getting a ticket isn't exactly ideal for me down at the station, Bella."

"Dad, I-"

"Go ahead and use mine Bella," Angela cut in as she dug her hand into her pocket and pulled forth her keys. I stepped up to them and held my hand out.

"Thanks," I said as I spun around and half ran to the front door while calling back, "I owe you one!" The sound of their lips smacking together filled my ears as the door swooshed open past me.

As I jumped into Angela's car I quickly strapped on my seatbelt and flicked off the radio; music was unwanted noise right now, especially her blaring country station as I pulled out of the driveway and slammed my foot down to the floor as low as it would go; the roar of the engine mirroring the rage in my heart.

**SPEED LIMIT **

**30 MPH**

Ignoring the sign, I sped past it with the speedometer nearing 90…

* * *

Leaving the engine running I ripped off my seatbelt and bolted from the car and marched over to Mike; ignoring his friend and their game of basketball. "Are your parents' home?" I asked as Mike bounced the ball back and forth between his hands.

"Um… no," He said slowly as I quickened my pace, "Why what's u-_ow!_" He hollered as my fist met happily – and harshly – with the side of his mouth. "What the fuck!" He demanded before my fist found his face once more. Breathing heavily I ripped my hand into my pocket and pulled out the note from Jessica and threw it into his face, leaving him bloody and shocked I spun around on my heel and marched back to Angela's car.

"Hold up John; I'll be back in a few!" I heard Mike say, and, assuming he meant to go clean himself up, pulled my seatbelt back on and slammed the door shut.

Putting the car into gear my ears were filled with the loud sound of my own heartbeat, unable to hear anything else I began to drive off… until I felt a hand touch my shoulder.

"GET OUT!" I screamed, slamming on the brakes and looking into his disgusting face through the rearview in the backseat, "NOW!"

"Why'd you hit me," He intoned, not asking.

With a loud howl of frustration rippling through my throat I peeled my foot from the brake and slammed it back down onto the accelerator, sending both our bodies slamming onto our seats. He noticed, I didn't.

"What the fuck Bella!" He squealed while fumbling around for his seatbelt. "Slow down!" I sped up.

"Come on Bella!" He begged. "You're going to fucking kill us! Slow down, now!"

Wanting anything but to listen to him, but at the same time dying a little every moment I was alone with him, I pulled off and parked the car onto the side of the road and ripped my seatbelt off and killed the engine. I kicked my door open and slammed it behind me, wanting to scream; I held it in as Mike climbed obliviously from the backseat and looked over at me. "Bella, what the fuck is wrong?"

"Just," I said, shaking with anger, "Read the fucking letter!"

Pulling the letter from his jacket pocket, he pulled it from the envelope and began reading it.

"She," He began with a lump in his throat, "She wrote you this?"

"No Mike," I spat sarcastically, "I wrote it to myself!"

"Do you think I'm happy about this Bella?" He asked as he folded the letter up and slid it back into the envelope, a moment later. "Do you think I saw this coming? I haven't had one good night sleep since I found out."

"I don't know," I smiled tightly, sarcastically, while placing my hands onto my hips and looking over at him, "You looked pretty jolly with your friend back there Mike. What was his name again? Jimmy, Jay, James…?"

"John," He corrected, "My cousin; haven't you ever tried to distract yourself from a terrible situation?" He asked, and rubbing his jaw added, "And man you can hit… damn."

"When your Dads' a cop you learn a few things about self defense."

"Touché," He nodded. "Look, I know what the note said… But there is no way you should blame yourself for this; it is my fault for not being able to get over you. A lot of what she said in the note was true. I tired my best to hide it from myself, and from her, but I just couldn't. I said I love her, but I guess I don't, I guess I never did… it's always been just you.

"You can hit me in the face all you want Bella; hell, I prefer you do – but it won't lessen the pain I feel every second for what I did."

"What a shame."

"I could never do anything to make her happy in life, Bella, never," He told me, "But I can do one thing right now – her dying wish was, basically, for us to be together." With a fresh rush of rage, I bounded forward and swiftly slammed my first against his face once more, this time getting a nice hit in feeling a crack from his nose.

"Okay," He laughed, bringing his hand up and holding his bleeding nose, "Ow, ow, okay… okay, I admit that was low, I'm sorry."

Shaking my head, I stepped backwards away from him and headed back to Angela's car, slamming the door closed and locking the doors three times. I pulled my seatbelt down around my chest and lap and put the key in the ignition and sped off without one glance backwards, leaving him bleeding and alone in the middle of the road.

* * *

Watching Bella drive off furiously down the road, Mike let out a long sigh of defeat and disappointment while dropping his head; the letter still held tightly in his hand having forgotten to give it back to Bella – not like she'd even want it, he thought.

As Mike shuffled his feet to ready himself to head back to his house, he stopped as another man walked briskly out from the woods; covered in sweat and clad in a pair of black running shorts and a sleeveless gray T, an iPod was pulled from his pocket after the man pulled the small white ear buds from his ears. "Lady troubles?" Asked the man, clearly one from the reservation, as he smiled over at the sandy-blonde.

"I wish," Mike told him softly, and turned to make his way back to his house, the dark haired man stepped forward and grabbed onto his shoulder to stop him. "Um, can I help you?" Mike asked him carefully, seeing the obvious superiority in the stranger's height and muscles.

Sam smiled.

"My name's Sam," Sam told him while letting go of Mike's shoulder. "And I take it your Mike, seeing as that's what my fiancé Bella kept calling you. And," He added, taking a small step towards the younger blonde, "If I have done my math right – that makes you the one who tried to rape her a few months ago. Am I right?"

"Uh, yeah," Mike nodded nervously; sweat beads building on his forehead and back of the neck, "That'd be me."

"Well then," Sam nodded back, "I'd say this talk was long over due. Wouldn't you?"

TBC


	39. Childhood

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Childhood

**Bella's POV**

I sat in the backseat of Charlie's patrol car, waiting, listening patiently as the radio softly played out Adele's _Set Fire to the Rain_ while Charlie and Angela got their things together back in the house. Looking around the space about me, I suddenly realized how foolish it was to insist on waiting in the back of the patrol car; handless doors, caged view to the front part of the cab… I was trapped, encaged like some wild animal. Shuddering, I couldn't even imagine what it felt like to be back here for real. And as I looked around once more I found myself hugging my arms about myself, claustrophobia creeping in as I felt the sides of the car caving in unison with the roof; slowly sinking in to consume me. As I looked ahead at the bars before me it seemed they too were creeping forward towards me, threatening to squash me at any given moment…

"Sorry we took so long Bella," Angela's voice sounded – pulling me back into reality as she and Charlie pulled open their doors and climbed inside, pulling their doors shut tight and strapping themselves in. "I was having trouble finding my keys." She told me, looking back apologetically through the thin, black bars.

"You and your keys," Charlie chuckled as he brought the engine to life and pulled the car from our driveway and onto the main drive.

"What?" Angela asked him seriously, "What if I ever lost them? Then what would I do? I had a friend once who lost his house key, and he had to break in through a downstairs window. And thinking everything was alright, he went about his business as normal – planning to tell his parents when they got home. Low and behold, thinking it was them who were approaching the front door, he opens it and there before him are two police officers! His neighbors had called 911 thinking it was a break-in!" She explained, nodding her head in remembrance. "I mean, what if that were to ever happen to me? It would be humiliating."

"Well," Charlie nodded his head with a sly smile on his lips, "If that were to ever happen to you I'd have to take you in for questioning."

"Is that right?" She asked, sliding her hand across the seats and onto his arm, where he then pulled it free of the steering wheel and laced his hand with hers, "What kind of questioning?"

"The private kind," He told her softly, leaning into her and sending her into a fit of giggles.

"Maybe I should start forgetting my keys, then." She smiled, running her nose along his as we reached a red light.

"Maybe that's a good idea," He agreed, leaning into kiss her.

"Right here guys," I voice myself from the center of the secluded backseat, "You're not alone – I can hear everything you're saying. Nothing is a secret and your little innuendoes are not going unnoticed… no matter how much I want them to."

"Where's Sam these days?" Charlie asked, clearing his throat as the light turned from red to green and Angela pulled herself back into her own seat. "I haven't seen him around for a few days; you two doing alright?"

"Nice save, _Daddy_." I told him, his cheeks growing redder than a cherry as I went on thinking _so that's where I get it from_, "Yeah, Sam and I are doing great," I told him with a humored smile as his redness slowly dissipated back to ivory. "And I don't really know, I mean I know he's around… he has a surprise for me. He said to stay at home and that it won't be too much longer. I miss him like crazy, though."

He nodded his head and let a little, "Swell," Escape his lips before concentrating his eyes back on the road; ignoring both looks from myself and Angela.

"Aw, that's so sweet," Angela smiled as she turned in her seat to look back at me. "Do you have any idea what it is?"

"No," I shook my head, "All he told me was that I wasn't aloud to go to his house and that I wouldn't see him for a few days because he would be busy working. Other than that…" I trailed, looking out the window as we passed through another street, closing our distance between iHop.

* * *

My pocket buzzed with my cell phone as the waiter showed us to our table: I love you.

Smiling, I began hitting the small keys in response: I love you… can I come over yet?

"Bells?" Charlie said looking over at me with his eyebrows raised and arm over Angela's shoulders; their hands locked.

"Yeah?" I asked him, setting my phone onto the table beside me.

"Well?" He asked, beckoning towards the waiter.

"Well, wh…? Oh!" I suddenly realized while flipping open my menu and scanning over the beverages. "I'm sorry…"

"That's alright," The man chuckled as my cell phone buzzed with Sam's response, sending a loud hymn across the tabletop as I reached out and quickly pulled it into my lap, "Take your time, I know it can be tough." He joked, making me laugh out a bit.

"I'll have a strawberry melon twist," I decided, looking up at him with an embarrassed smile.

"My personal favorite," He nodded while writing down my drink order on his small note pad, "I'll be right back with your drinks."

I smiled at him before looking over at Charlie and Angela, and, seeing their lips locked removed my attention quickly away from them and back to my cell phone: No, not yet sweetheart. Soon, I promise.

Frowning, I sent my response: Why can't I see you? I miss you…

"And a side dish of fruit," Angela finished, smiling up at the waiter while piling her menu atop Charlie's.

"Hi again," I said to the waiter while looking quickly over my menu.

"Hi," He laughed.

"I'll have a small stack of blueberry pancakes and a side dish of sourdough toast." I decided quickly, smiling and handing him our three menus before pulling my drink towards me and stirring around the syrup at the bottom of the glass with my straw.

"Sounds good…" He mumbled while scribbling down my order, "And," He added, looking back down at me with a smile, "Would you like original syrup or fruit infused?"

"There's an option?" I wondered honestly as my phone buzzed in my hands.

"Oh yeah, we've got strawberry, blueberry, watermelon – which is kind of weird, wouldn't recommend it - cranberry, peach or raspberry," He informed me with a wide smile. "My personal favorite is raspberry – people have said it's a bit sweet, but they're just haters, I've tried them all and that is by far number one."

"Well I have always been partial to peach myself," I contemplated while looking over at Angela, and, being taken aback by her expression, concluded with, "But I'm going to have to just stick with the original."

"Aw, boring!" He complained, making me laugh as he folded his notepad into his apron pocket. "Don't say I didn't try to spice up your meal… I'll be back with that in a few." He told us, looking at me with a smile while backing away and disappearing into the kitchen.

"Bella!" Angela proclaimed softly as I looked down at my phone to read Sam's reply: You'll be back in my arms soon; it will be well worth the wait… as hard as it is for both of us…

"Bella!" Angela repeated, "What was that?"

"A text from Sam," I told her while quickly sending my reply: I want to be there now. "Sorry."

"No, not your phone," She shook her head, "I mean the waiter – _what was that_?"

"Waiter? What? What was what?"

"Oh come on Bella, you can't be that clueless! He was totally hitting on you!" She gushed.

"What!" I proclaimed, "No, Angela, no… no…" I shook my head while looking down at my cell phone right as it buzzed with Sam's response: Me too.

My heart ached for him now more than ever; just the thought of being in his arms was enough to make it almost real. Almost.

"Charlie, I'm right, right?" She asked, looking over at him for support, "Wasn't the waiter just drooling?"

"What can I say," He nodded while looking over at me with a small smile, "I've got a little heartbreaker."

"Think what you want," I said stubbornly while slipping my phone back into my pocket. "But you're wrong - we were discussing syrup." I told them, fingering my ring.

"Yeah," Angela laughed while looking down at her nails, "Okay Bella."

* * *

"So… do you live around here?" Angela mocked, trying her best to imitate Bradley, our waiter, "Maybe we can meet up sometime; I know this great place that's great for long walks under the stars, that is, when the sky's clear." After having to contain her laughter during the actual occurrence behind Charlie's shoulder, she was really laying it on me.

"Yes, okay," I told her while shoving her away – half playfully - as we walked back to the patrol car, "I get it, you were right, I was wrong. Now would you like a gold or silver medal?"

"Hmm," She contemplated while smacking her lips together and placing her index finger onto her chin and looking over at me, as if to look highly sophisticated and intellectual. "I will have to get back to you, but until then rubbing it in your face will work out just fine."

"Great," I said sarcastically while climbing into the back of the patrol car.

"I'm just kidding Bella," Angela assured me; skeptically I rolled my eyes. "I just think its adorable how you denied it." She added with a smile, climbing into the passengers' seat beside Charlie and reaching out to take his hand. "I won't say another word. Promise." She promised, I doubted.

"He was pretty cute though," She added as we pulled away from iHop and began the journey home.

"Yeah," I nodded matter-of-factly, "Not another word."

Charlie laughed.

* * *

"Bells?" Charlie asked softly, rubbing my shoulder gently as I lay on my side across his bed, "You awake Baby?"

After getting home from iHop and tolerating Angela's mocks and quotes from 'waiter-boy' for over an hour, I had decided enough was enough and shut myself up in Charlie's room. What I hadn't planned on, however, was to fall asleep all day.

"Mhm," I mumbled, opening my eyes and looking up at him. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to pass out like this."

"That's alright," He smiled as I pushed myself up slowly with my elbows, "You were tired."

"Yeah, I guess." I laughed, looking at the clock and reading 9:52 PM and remembering it being only 12:07 PM when we had arrived home from iHop. "Where's Angela?" I asked.

"Downstairs watching a movie," He told me, "And before you bring up earlier; you do know she was only doing that so we could be alone?"

"Yeah," I nodded, licking my dried lips and running my hand through my hair, "I try to ignore everything that involves my Dad and his romantic life, but, yeah, I know."

He laughed softly before going on, "Can't say I appreciate that enough," He nodded, "And speaking of romantic life – Sam was here earlier."

"What!" I demanded, "When? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I offered, but he didn't want me to," He explained, "He said he couldn't keep himself away from you any longer. He was disappointed that you were asleep, but he said he understood and asked if he could come up and see you anyways.

"He was up here a good two hours before heading back out again, so I guess he took a nap with you or something. Whatever it was he was doing up here, holding you, whatever, I guess you were just really tired – told me you didn't open your eyes once.

"He also asked me to tell you that he loves you and that you will see him soon; he's almost finished." He finished, smiling with a mischievous look in his eyes. I couldn't help but smile.

"What's that look?" I asked him.

"Look?" He asked innocently, "Look? What look?" I rolled my eyes and tugged at a loose thread at the foot of my jeans.

"So I guess you're wanting your room back now?" I wondered with a sigh.

"Well it would be nice, but, actually I wanted to talk to you about something." He told me sheepishly. "I've been meaning to bring it up for a while, but I guess I haven't because every time I come close to mentioning it I look at your face and remember holding you when you were just a little baby."

"Daddy," I said matter-of-factly, "Are you kicking me out?"

Shaking his head, he said, "I wouldn't go so far as to say _kicking out_, but, allowing you to move on with your life… How'd you know?" He wondered, scratching at the back of his head.

"Well I am getting married," I suggested, "And as far as I've heard it isn't customary for a married couple to live in separate dwellings; let alone the house you were a child in. Kind of, I mean I didn't live here all my childhood, that would be down in Arizona, but still." I finished, laughing softly while looking down at his plaid bedspread.

"Aw, Baby I don't want you to leave!" He admitted, "I mean, I feel like I've only just got you back; it was hard enough when you and Sam were in Oregon, but asking you to full on pack up your things and leave? I don't know if I could do that… you're only eighteen, and we've only just started to build up a relationship I wouldn't trade in for anything."

"Dad," I said sadly, pulling myself up to my knees and wrapping my arms around his shoulders and hugging him close, "I wouldn't either; I love how close we have gotten. But you are right; I can't live here when I'm getting married…"

"Can't we make an exception?" He suggested, laughing and wrapping his arms around me. "No, I no we can't… I'm just going to miss you so much."

"I'll miss you too Daddy," I told him as we parted, "But it's time for Bella to move on with her life." I quoted him with a small smile. "And hey, you could always as Angela to move in? I mean you two seem _pretty _happy with each other, I can't imagine you two parting anytime in the near future…" I ended awkwardly, realizing what and _who _I was talking about.

"I've been thinking about that, too," He nodded with a smile while crossing his arms over his chest, "I just didn't want to bring _it _up because I was scared of what you might say, or think, if I did."

"Why would it matter? I mean this is your house, and Angela is eighteen – it's none of my business what the two of you do, if you want to move in together I can't stop you."

"I know all that Bells, I just don't want to ever do anything that will make you think less of me, is all."

"Why would I ever do that?" I asked him, "Dad, you know me I _would _never do that, ever. You're my Dad and I love you, no matter how… _outrageous_ some of the decisions you make are… I'll never stop loving you or think less of you. I couldn't."

"I know, Bells," He whispered softly while looking over my face and brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "It's just always a fear a parent will have – especially after you, after you, well… lets just say I am more jumpy than other Dad's.

"I just feel I could have protected you better."

"Is this…? Is this about what Edward did?"

He nodded his head and ran his hand over his mouth and chin with moist eyes, "Yeah," He swallowed, "It is. We never really talked about it, but yeah… it is."

"Oh, Dad, I am over that," I told him while wrapping him up in my arms again. I had never seen him cry before, and it broke my heart. "I'm okay now Daddy, I promise."

"No you're not," He contradicted, "You're never okay after something like that happens."

"I am, though, Dad," I assured him, "I had my time of mourning and flashbacks; memories and nightmares… but I'm okay now. I promise my biggest promise ever: I am okay."

"Okay," He said, clearing his throat as I sat back onto my feet and dropped my hands onto my thighs. "If you're sure."

"I am." I persisted honestly. And I was honest, I hadn't thought about what Edward had done, in, hell, I couldn't even remember it had been so long.

"Well, then," He concluded, standing from the bed and clearing his throat and rubbing away the tears from his eyes and cheeks, "I could use an escort when I ask my girlfriend to come live with me." He smiled while offering his hand to me, happily I took it.

"I would be honored."

TBC


	40. Ours

**AN: **Before I get dozens of you verbally bashing me for not updating for over a month, please, let me explain. On the twenty-first of last month I ended up in the hospital twice, once for a serious physical injury than rendered me unable to leave my own bed – let alone be able to move without screaming of crying like a baby - for over a week, and the other for acquiring a sickness that made me so dehydrated I was fading in and out… And then, once I was well, of course, only a few days after I was well, I was molested and taken over by the evil Whooping Cough – which, I am not happy to say I still have! But, I promise you, this will make up for it…

* * *

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Ours

**Bella's POV**

Skidding to a stop I slammed my foot down hard on the emergency brake and jumped from my truck, barley latching the door closed behind me as I bounded quickly over the dirt drive and into his arms. He lifted me from the ground and spun me around while holding his lips firmly to mine. "I missed you." He told me as he set me back down and kissed me again.

"Yeah," I breathed, realizing I had been holding my breath this whole time. "Easy for you to say, last time we were together _I_ didn't see _you_. So I think the proper statement you're looking for is, 'I missed you too'."

He smiled widely while looking down at me and running his hand over my head and down the length of my hair. "I missed you, too." He repeated, softly, and leaned down to place his lips gently to my forehead before resting his head against mine with his hand cupped around the back of my head. I closed my eyes and drank in the feeling of him against me as his free hand searched for my own, and held it gently.

"I missed you," I whispered, my eyes still closed as his thumb traced slow, delicate circles over the back of my hand and wrist. I smiled at the feeling of him watching me, and opened my eyes to ask, "What?" Softly.

"You're so beautiful." He told me before leaning his lips into my own and kissing me tenderly. I slid my free hand up his chest and wound it around to the back of his head and feathered my fingers into his hair, reluctantly pulling my hand away from his I gathered up a handful of his shirt into my hand and brought myself up to my toes to stand as tall as I could. Again he wound me up in his arms at the waist and lifted me from the ground to carry me onto the front deck. I began pulling at his shirt as he slid an arm effortlessly away from my waist and cupped his hand lovingly around the back of my neck with his fingers brushing into the base of my hairline.

He set me back down to me feet, despite my protests, and pulled his lips from mine. "You can't do that," I told him as I tugged at his shirt more and pulled myself back up to him to kiss him, but he turned his face away from mine with a humorous, resisting look in his eyes. "You can't kiss me like that and then just stop, not after being apart from each other for so long. It isn't fair – it's cruel; it's torture. Lying awake night after night, trembling for you, wanting to feel you… and I finally see you and you jus-" His lips cut me off as he slammed his body and lips hungrily into mine, winding his fingers into my hair and holding my body so close to his I could barley breathe from his forcefulness as he backed me up gently against the front of the house.

"Dammit Bella," He breathed heavily as he pulled his lips away from mine for a spilt second before crashing them back against my own. "I've wanted you – Every night – And I told myself – When I see you – I'd be able to control myself – But – You're – Making it – So – Very – Difficult – I don't know – How – Much – Longer – I can…" Grunting out his frustrations he pressed himself tighter against me and kissed me harder and faster. "I can't be away from you," He breathed as he forced his lips away from mine and began kissing a passionate, wet trail of kisses along my neck. "Don't ever stay away from me like that again, Bella, no matter what I ask or tell you. Don't listen to me, just don't!" He demanded between kisses as he slid one of his hands under the back of my shirt and rubbed his hand along my skin. I trembled and moaned at the feeling; pulling on his hair he let out a growl of pleasure and pulled me closer to him still.

Lifting me into his arms he walked us blindly along the side of the house and I felt as the screen door jammed roughly into my back, but barley felt the pain of the sharp metal handle as we reached the other side of the door, still wound passionately in each others embrace. I pulled his hair roughly with one hand as I took the other and ripped at the buttons at the top of his shirt and began kissing along his neck and chest. He growled and stifled a moan as he opened the door behind us and pulled us inside.

I noticed an odd, out-of-place smell as we stumbled inside, but took no real care to think much into it as he spun us back around so he could lock and latch the door. "Sam," I breathed as I pulled my lips from his skin and looked up to his eyes with passion blurring my vision. "I want you – I need you." I told him as my hands began fumbling klutzily around his hair and chest. "Please," I begged him as he brought his lips down to my neck and began kissing me hungrily, "Please don't make me wait any longer – I can't, I can't…" I trailed, letting out a low moan in replacement as he began nibbling down softly at my flesh, and trailing his tongue along every sensitive spot he knew. "I-" I moaned, "Can't…"

Imprinting, I thought as he reached his hand which had been running along my back to my stomach, and up to my chest. It can't be the only reason everything we do feels so good – so amazing. It can't be the only reason I love him so much; the only reason I tremble for him when he isn't there, and ache for him when he is near but not close enough. It can't be… it just can't be. When Edward left me – I am glad he left me, I was glad when it was over. Because of it he left me to love someone who could truly love me back – someone who would protect and care for me in a way he couldn't even imagine. I would rather have my heart broken a thousand times than to never be able to look into Sam's eyes once…

"Sam," I said softly as he slid my shirt from my shoulders and rested his forehead gently onto mine; sweat clamming our skin as we looked nearly-out-of-breath into each others burning eyes, "Make love to me…"

* * *

I awoke four hours later – nearly midnight – against his chest in the safety of his arms surrounded in darkness, the only light streaming in by the full moon, filtered, through the long curtains that hung in his open window. Curtains? I wondered as I pulled my head away from his chest and allowed my eyes to adjust to the dim light to see more clearly. I remember blinds being there before – I wasn't away that long to not be able to remember what window décor hung in my fiancé's bedroom, and it certainly wasn't that shade of gold, let alone curtains…

As I slid my hand across the strewn bed I kept my eyes on Sam's sleeping form to make sure I wasn't disturbing his obviously needed rest. My eyebrows furrowed together in wonderment at the softness and lushness of the bed sheets beneath my hands, it was almost as if I were feeling satin. Pulling the loose sheet into my hand I wrapped it around my naked body and nearly gasped aloud as my feet touched down to find not the usually cold wooden floor, but warm _carpet_.

Had we been so caught up in each other that we ended up in the wrong room? The guest room, maybe? I had never been in there before… But no, that couldn't be. I remember the way to his room, I could do it with my eyes blindfolded and walking backwards in mute silence, and we had taken the same, right path to his bedroom – across the living room and kitchen, up the staircase and into the first door you see. The only door leading from the staircase… The staircase. I had sworn, no, I _knew _they were wooden. But as I thought back, as Sam carried me up the stairs I hadn't heard his footsteps on the steps at all, and he still had his shoes on – heavy soles – they always echoed heavily on the steps, no matter how quiet he tried to be…

I reached my hand up to slide my fingers thoughtfully through my hair, but let out a little grunt as each finger became snarled up and caught in a mess of damp knots. I smiled at myself, and Sam, knowing how they had gotten there, before pulling my hand away and letting out a single yelp of pain as a single strand caught in my fingernail. I shook my head and wondered how it was Sam always knew how to brush his fingers through my hair without ever hurting me, and yet I, who had grown up with the hair was always managing to pull it even when it was perfectly combed out. My hair could be melted together and still he wouldn't pull a single strand.

Realizing the soft carpet still beneath my feet, I pulled myself back to the awareness that something was very _different _about his bedroom and pulled myself away from the bed and walked slowly over to the window to examine the curtains. They were thick - yet airy, and had little golden beads stitched into them in a wide, elegant pattern. Feeling them in my hands I could tell they were hand sewn, not the cheap fall-off-as-soon-as-they-get-home machine kind. I inhaled a quiet, deep breath as I gently let the material fall from my hands to lay alongside its twin to sway softly in the cool breeze.

As I pulled my eyes away from the unfamiliar curtains they became suddenly aware that the sheet I had bundled around my body was also something to examine. Not only were they obviously satin – by feel and sight – but by _color_. They were not dull rustic orange, but glimmering ocean blue. And as I trailed my eyes down the length of my body to the floor I saw that the wooden floor had in fact been covered – replaced - by creamy beige carpeting. And his walls, I realized as I brought my eyes away from the carpet, they had been painted over. No longer were they light brown, but light blue – a lighter shade of the blue that surrounded my body. The bed, though strewn apart, had also been replaced from cast iron to solid, dark, mahogany. And as I looked over its intricate hand carving designs they settled back down to him; his chest rising and falling with each content breath. So this is my surprise, I realized with a happy smile as I looked on his nightstand to see the first picture ever taken of us, enlarged, and framed in silver.

As I was readying myself to crawl back into bed with him, my eyebrows knitted together with confusion as I remembered the noiseless journey up the stairs…

Everything had been so quiet; I let out a loud shriek and dropped the sheet in fright while placing my hand over my mouth – nearly tripping over the fallen sheet – as Sam chimed a soft, "Why didn't you wake me?" At least I thought that was what he had asked, it was only a guess as I was too busy screaming and catching myself from falling to hear anything after _Why didn't…_

"I'm sorry," He said quickly as he pulled himself from the bed to embrace me. "I didn't think I'd startle you; you had such an intense, curious little look on your face, I didn't really think about how distracted you were."

"It's alright," I told him as my breathing slowly regulated while reaching myself to my tip toes to bring my lips up to his. "Don't worry about it – I love you." I told him before kissing him again. "You did all this? The sheets, the bed and floors… This is why you wouldn't let me see you? You were busy working on it all?"

He shook his head slowly while cupping my chin in his hand, and looking into my eyes he slid his thumb away from my bottom lip and leaned down to kiss me, but before his lips had a chance to meet mine he whispered, "No."

"No?" I asked softly - smitten – nearly out of breath from the intense look of love in his eyes, "But its all-"

"Shh," He silenced me before bringing his lips down to mine again, softly, gently. I wanted to kiss him more, to just stay in his arms that way forever, naked with nothing keeping us from being so close with nothing more than the moon as our light. I watched in silence as he walked back over to the bed and pulled his boxers on, and then picked up his shirt, but instead of putting it on he walked over to me – all the while the same intense look in his eyes – and slid it over my arms, keeping the buttons undone he smiled and pecked me lovingly on the lips. I wanted to ask what was so funny, but before I could get a word out his smile was washed away and replaced with a look of pure adoration. "You look so beautiful in my clothes." He told me softly as he reached his hand down and wound it together with mine.

Thinking he was going to lead me to the door, he instead brought our entwined hands up to his lips and kissed the back of my hand while closing his eyes. "Sam," I whispered - still barley able to breathe from his actions - as I watched him place the back of my hand to his cheek and just breathe. "You're making it so hard to breathe."

With his eyebrows pulled in together he pulled my hand from his cheek and looked down at me with concern and asked softly, "Why?"

"Because everything you're doing," I told him, trying to catch my breath, "Everything you're doing – the way you're looking at me, holding me… kissing me… it's making me fall more and more in love with you.

"Please don't ever stop." I asked him as a tear slid happily from the corner of my eye.

He slowly pulled his hand away from mine, and I instantly raised my hands to place them about his chest as he took a step closer to me, his eye never leaving mine, and cupped his hands around my head, lacing his fingers within my hair until they were round the back of my head. Without speaking, he just looked down at me. And then slowly, very, very slowly he brought his face in towards mine where he then kissed me so deeply I barely knew where I was anymore. I didn't feel the floor beneath my feet, nor the wind blowing in from the window or the shirt around my shoulders. All I felt were his hands as they fell down my back to pull me closer, and my own on his chest.

All I could feel were our lips moving together as one.

All I could feel was our love.

It felt that hours had passed as he slowly led me down the carpeted stairs. He was right; he hadn't just redone the bedroom…

He had redone the entire house.

TBC


	41. Forever

**Stay With Me**

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Forever

**Sam's POV**

"This is why you wouldn't let me come over?" She asked; her voice hoarse with un-fallen tears as she pulled my shirt tightly around herself and crossed her arms over her chest. "And why I couldn't see you otherwise – you were working on this?"

"Yes," I whispered as I stepped up behind her and wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pulled her back into my chest and kissed the top of her head. "Jacob helped me, but I didn't want you to see anything before it was done. I wanted to see you so badly everyday, but I knew every moment I went to see you was another moment I could be working on our house, and that meant it had to be that much longer before I could have you again. Really have you, and not just for an hour or two.

"That time I went to see you - when you were sleeping in your Dad's room– I just couldn't force myself to stay away from you any longer. I had to see you, I just had to. I had to have you in my arms again, and I didn't care about anything else – just you. I know it meant that it made a few hours difference in the completion of the house, but seeing you there, sleeping so peacefully and feeling that peacefulness and comfort when I held you in my arms, and how much more your body relaxed when I was there… it was worth everything."

"I wish you had woken me." She said as she wrapped her little hands tightly around my forearms.

"No," I told her as I pulled her closer. "No, I'm glad I didn't. I love holding you. I love your eyes, but when I'm holding you when you're sleeping… When people are sleeping they are so vulnerable. Sleep is such an intimate time for a person – and though I know it in other moments, like now – when you are sleeping I know how much you trust me, how much faith you have in me to protect you and cherish you. You're breaths are slower; more controlled and rhythmic, and your heart beats perfectly, never fluctuating or declining. Always the same, it's unwavering and unchanging… just like my love for you. Only my love grows everyday."

"Oh, Sam," She sighed as she leaned her head further back onto my chest, and I looked down to see a small smile on her lips and her eyes closed. "Why is it that you're always so much better at expressing yourself than I am?"

I laughed softly before hugging her tighter. "I'm not better at expressing myself Bella, I just tell you what is going through my mind the moment I think of it." I told her as I bent down to kiss her forehead. "If anything you're better at it, all it takes for you to get a point across is a look – I still have to use words."

"Yeah, well my look versus your words is nothing. You've made me fall head-over-heels for you so many times now I can feel myself turning into a contortionist. And besides," She added as she spun herself around to face me. "I'm not the only one who has a-thousand-word-eyes." She said as she ran her hand up the side of my face and into my hair, "Up in your bedroom-"

"Our bedroom," I corrected her as I closed my eyes and leaned into her touch.

"Up in our bedroom," She repeated as she let out a shaky breath and gently dug her nails against my scalp. "In our bedroom… The way you looked at me – you made everything else disappear. The bed, the walls, the wind, even the carpet we stood on just turned into nothing."

"Why?" I asked her as I looked down at her and cupped my hand around the back of her neck.

"Because," She said slowly. "Because I love you – and all I could feel, all I could see in that moment – was us. It was like what everybody says about dying, how your life flashes before your eyes. Only it wasn't dying, but so much more – it was living. I saw every moment we have ever had together – weather it be good or bad, I saw it all. I felt it all. Before we were together, when I wanted to be with you so badly it hurt… the first time you told me you loved me, the first time you held me in your arms – kissed me… it's all I could feel. It's all I could see; I was just blind to everything else entirely. There was no one else – no sound, no sight, no feeling. Just you and me, just us, and just this." She told me as she took her free hand and placed it against my chest over my heart. "Beating – and living as one."

"No," I told her after a moment as I slid my hand away from her neck to place it over hers – over my heart. She pulled her eyebrows in together and looked up at me, opening her mouth to speak I placed my hand over her lips and whispered. "You're not good at expressing your emotions verbally at all. _You're amazing_…" As I slid my hand away from her mouth I ran my thumb over her lips, and as she closed her eyes she kissed it softly. She slid her hand away from my chest and held my hand to her lips, moving it up and over, over and up and inch by inch kissing every part of it. After her lips had explored the territory of my hand she slowly made her way to my wrist and from my wrist to my forearm. As her lips traveled higher up my arm I wrapped it around her head to hug her closer, being unable to keep myself at any distance – however small - from her.

I watched with adoration and love as she made her way along my arm, until I could no longer take looking at her without kissing her myself as she finished with my arm and began kissing her way along my shoulder and chest. I just closed my eyes and drank in every caress of her lips against my skin and hugged her closer and closer. Her lips began massaging along my neck, and stopped just at the base of my jawbone where she placed her hand over my heart once more and rested her head against my chest. I then pulled her free hand to my lips and began kissing her in return, starting at the tips of her fingers and working my way inward.

I know I imprinted on her, but how I had lived my life without her before is something I will never know or understand. Never be able to grasp or come close to comprehending. Once I began living a life with her in it… there was no other life for me. Only her. Only us…

As I pulled my lips from her neck I opened my eyes and looked down at her; eyes closed and cradled safely in my arms.

…Forever.

THE END

* * *

**AN: **To say I grew attached to this story… it doesn't even begin to describe the depth of those words. This was – and is – by far my favorite story I have ever written on Fanfiction. And my long delays of updating… I know, while suspenseful for you all, was agony for me. I knew what those delays meant, and those delays were there only for the sole purpose that I knew the end of the story was near – and honestly (pathetically) it depressed me. I love this story. It meant a lot to me to be able to share my imagination with you all in _Stay With Me_. Thank you all for your wonderful and kind reviews, they truly meant a lot to me.

And while this story has come to a close, I am sure some of you are going to wonder (and ask) if I am going to have a sequel for it. And the answer to this is… no. I am sorry, but to me, in my mind, this story is perfect just the way it is. And adding a sequel would just ruin, what I would call, a perfect love story - With a few bumps, sad moments, and painful twists.

But hey, what love story doesn't?

And I know that most of you were probably looking forward to the wedding- originally, that was going to be the last chapter. And I tell you, I don't know how many times I tried to write it, but just couldn't! And as I was getting close to completing the end of this chapter, it was so obvious why! There was never meant to be a wedding chapter – but a chapter that explained their forever, instead. And this is it.

Keep an eye on my profile for more Sam / Bella stories. And though I am not the original author of the first chapter of _Green Light _(Random Person In ur Bushes) I will be working on, and posting that soon! And because I am not the originator of that story I do like to run idea's I get for it by Randi first, and without giving anything away I've got a few idea's cooking (and already run-by) in the ole noggin. But until then, see ya.


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